Research Koen Verhoest

Abstract

Trust in public governance is essential for a well-functioning society. This is especially so in the face of grand societal challenges, which put increasing pressure on trust and spark distrust. In this respect, it is essential to understand how trust is built through successful governance. Equally important is recognising that trust in itself is a fundamental prerequisite for successful governance. Therefore, and building on previous work of the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence on trust and multilevel governance, the new GOVTRUST research programme focuses on trust and distrust in the governance of societal transitions. In doing so, GOVTRUST will make significant interdisciplinary contributions to both the trust literature and the scholarship regarding the governance of transitions. Contemporary governance of society is increasingly defied by uncertain and disruptive challenges affecting every part of our society. Societal challenges, such as climate change and digitalisation, represent very complex, interdependent, and multi-dimensional problems that require collaborative efforts of public, private, and non-profit actors, as well as individual citizens. In responding to these complex challenges, major societal transitions - i.e., systemic changes and deliberate alterations in the functioning of society - are necessary. The standard governance repertoire has not been able to bring about such successful transitions: e.g., at several governance levels negotiations are blocked, and regulatory and policy frameworks are strongly contested, rigid, and inapt to respond to scientific advances. It is therefore crucial to rethink governance, both regarding the arrangements and processes needed to make collective decisions, and regarding the capacities and behaviours of organisational and individual actors at different levels of governance (incl. local, regional, national, EU, international levels). Trust is a fundamental condition for such complex governance systems to perform well. Although the literature and our own GOVTRUST research have shown that a certain degree of distrust between actors within a governance system (public, private and civil society actors) might be functional in specific instances, recurring reports of distrust point to significant problems. When trust evaporates and/or distrust rises, cooperation between these governance actors is compromised, making successful governance of societal transitions very hard to achieve. Moreover, the actual (lack of) response of governance systems to societal challenges will in turn have an impact on trust by citizens in those systems. Therefore, GOVTRUST will focus on trust and distrust in and within the governance of transitions. GOVTRUST's core aim is to understand and analyse the dynamics, causes and effects of trust and distrust in and within the governance of societal transitions. As interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to achieve this aim, the GOVTRUST consortium unites strong research teams from political science, public administration, law, communication sciences, sociology, organisational behaviour, and learning sciences. By expanding the existing consortium with experts from sociology, organisational behaviour, and learning sciences, the GOVTRUST consortium has all the necessary conceptual, theoretical, and methodological expertise to make ground-breaking contributions. With its unique capacity and experience, GOVTRUST will engage in frontline conceptual and theoretical innovation, combining advanced methodological approaches that prioritise interdisciplinarity and the involvement of societal actors. In this way, the expanded GOVTRUST consortium will build on its acquired expertise to generate major scientific breakthroughs and substantial societal impacts regarding trust in the governance of societal transitions, while further consolidating and strengthening its international position and the international visibility of the University of Antwerp in the field.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Oosterlynck Stijn
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Co-promoter: Van den Bossche Piet
• Co-promoter: van Zimmeren Esther
• Co-promoter: Walrave Michel
• Co-promoter: Wynen Jan

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

BRIDGEGAP is a multidisciplinary research project reuniting former members of the ANTICORRP consortium (Transparency International, ERCAS/SAR, CSD, University of PISA, University of Perugia) who have continued to invest in the development of data commons allowing corruption understanding and monitoring on the basis of objective data (e.g. Integrity Watch, Index for Public Integrity, T-Index, Russian Economic Footprint), with new academic partners who published novel methods to measure money laundering (Utrecht University) anthropologists and criminologists who pioneered corruption studies in liberal democracies (IFFS), and new IT groups like the Ukrainian organisation YouControl, the first to interconnect data to enable searches of the assets of sanctioned individuals through its algorithm Follow the Money. BRIDGEGAP fills the knowledge gaps regarding both the extent to and the mechanisms by which corruption infiltrates open societies even across borders and it produces measurements of corruption across countries and time by itsinnovative models, as well associal network maps. It also assesses and offerssolutionsto the digital transparency gaps, ranging from the tools of transparency, the use and abuse of technology in corruption and anticorruption to the state of it. Finally, it assesses public accountability and anticorruption regulation across EUMS and candidate states to identify regulatory and impact gaps, thus addressing the academia–policy gap in corruption studies. The research will result in academic publications as well as in interactive analytical and research commons like comparative law repositories EU Compass, European Transparency Index, Follow the Money search engines across newly interconnected databases. All its pooled data will be displayed transparently on the website as a Data Hub and will offer end users the same investigation and analytical tools as the project researchers, inviting crowd-sourcing and offering online tutorials. The Work Package of the University of Antwerp will carry out an original survey assessing managers' perceptions, trust and propensity to comply with organisational Integrity Management Systems. Then, it will execute survey experiments in order to extend the understanding of the impact of the integrity systems on the perceptions, trust and behaviour of top and middle managers in different contexts (e.g., private vs public vs hybrid organisations and partnerships, controlling for cultural values). Participants in both surveys and experiments are recruited as part of panels of managers from selected industries such as banking, competition agencies and energy providers.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Duarte Coroado Susana
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Given the current tenuous state of trust between institutions and actors at different levels in the EU governance system, the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence STRATEGO aims to teach, research and disseminate knowledge on the dynamics, causes and effects of trust between the actors and institutions involved in EU multi-level governance of sustainable development, with a focus on business and entrepreneurship, climate and biodiversity, and health policies. This empirical scope of STRATEGO connects with the UN's sustainable development goals, the policy priorities of the European Commission and the priorities of the Erasmus+ programme. STRATEGO will develop interdisciplinary synergies on EU governance, trust and sustainable development by bridging teaching, research and outreach efforts across disciplines at the University of Antwerp. Throughout all activities, STRATEGO will go beyond the usual producers and consumers of EU studies. It will bring EU governance knowledge of the Social Sciences, Law and Economics faculties to students and staff of the Science and Health Sciences faculties, and it will reach out beyond the academic environment to foster a dialogue with professionals, civilsociety and the general public. In terms of teaching, STRATEGO will ensure interdisciplinarity through guest lectures, joint supervision of bachelor and master theses and innovative formats such as simulations and micro-credentials. In terms of research, STRATEGO will bring together staff from various disciplines through research seminars, PhD masterclasses and a visiting scheme for early career scholars. In terms of outreach beyond the academic context, STRATEGO will organise activities such as thematic webinars, outreach workshops and activities for specific audiences such as secondary schools.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Beutels Philippe
• Co-promoter: De Bièvre Dirk
• Co-promoter: Hoijtink Marijn
• Co-promoter: Matthysen Erik
• Co-promoter: Meeusen Johan
• Co-promoter: Meier Petra
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Co-promoter: Vanderstraeten Johanna
• Co-promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: van Zimmeren Esther
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Vicca Sara
• Co-promoter: Wynen Jan

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Education Project
• Research Project

Abstract

This research project studies under which conditions the inclusion of principle-based regulation (PBR) in hybrid regulatory regimes affects both beneficiaries' and regulatees' trust in those regimes. Trust in regulation and in the actors that define, implement, enforce and judge the regulation - what we call the regulatory regime - is crucial. However, trust in regulatory regimes is often put to the test by high-impact events (e.g. financial crisis, COVID pandemic, PFAS scandal). In looking for ways to restore such trust, principle-based regulation (PBR) has been put forward as a responsive and flexible approach to regulation that sets principles or goals broadly and at a high level. Instead of focusing on 'pure' PBR, the project will advance current research by studying PBR in a hybrid context (combining prescriptive regulation and PBR), more specifically the food safety sector. Drawing upon state-of-the-art research, three conditions are formulated, analysed and assessed in order to study their role in explaining beneficiaries' and regulatees' trust in hybrid regulatory regimes: rule formulation, interest participation and regulatory enforcement. Methodologically, this project applies an innovative, mixed-method design combining conjoint survey experiments and focus groups.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Fellow: Willems Cassandra

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Complex societal issues such as climate change, technological developments, or the COVID-19 crisis trigger demands for more flexible regulations. Supra-national and Belgian national, regional and local authorities are calling for regulatory innovation and particularly regulation based on goals as a way to guarantee and increase the legitimacy of regulations. Despite a broad acclaim for GBR, the scientific work on GBR remains largely theoretical and conjectural. Conceptually founded and empirically validated knowledge is still lacking. Therefore, the GOBAREG project studies the conditions and context under which GBR can be included, designed and implemented legitimately and achieve its expected outcomes in a hybrid multi-actor regulatory regime. More precisely, GOBAREG will examine the conditions for legitimate GBR, as well as investigate context factors and the expected GBR outcomes. The objectives of the project are to (1) analyse the evolution towards GBR, (2) assess the impact of the evolution towards GBR on the behaviour of individual actors, and (3) understand under which combined set of conditions and context factors GBR can maximise its legitimacy and realise its expected outcomes. GOBAREG applies an innovative interdisciplinary, mixed-method design, including systematic mapping, behavioural experiments and large-scale field experiments, and studies two in-depth case studies of social regulation (sectors environment and welfare in Flanders). In doing so, GOBAREG pushes theoretical, methodological and empirical boundaries, while increasing GBR's validity. Through co-creation, GOBAREG will maximise its utilisation potential by developing innovative GBR solutions matched to the needs of societal users.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: De Somer Stéphanie
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

RegTrust aims to investigate intermediation as a governance mechanism and intermediaries as third parties in trust and regulatory interactions. RegTrust applies a diverse set of methodologies, including case-oriented comparative analysis, process tracing and semi-structured interviews, attitudinal and survey experiments, computational text analysis, and quantitative data analysis. Trust decisions will be explored with regards to two regulatory cases: – the governance of the financial sector (banks and fintech) and of the food sector (e.g. organic food). Regtrust has three operational aims: First, to explore the relationship between the dynamics of trust and of regulation in different countries, across issues, and over time. Second, to explore a range of intermediation mechanisms that may help trust the trustworthy and distrust the untrustworthy. Third, to explore the relations between successes and failures of intermediation and their consequences in the form of low/high trust regulatory states. Intermediaries: what and who Intermediaries are in principle non-state actors, often NGOs, sector organizations or professional organizations, that play a role in the regulation of a sector. For example, intermediation may involve self-declared labels of ethical consumption (e.g., Halal food) or, alternatively, a regulated or reputation-based activity, such as ecological food labelling. Intermediation mechanisms include diverse practices such as labelling, certification, accreditation processes. Other examples of such intermediation practices or roles are for example ethical investment labels, fair trade certification, sustainable forestry certification, data protection officers or financial account auditing. By doing this, such intermediaries might signal that processes or products are trustworthy (e.g. food being safe to consume by consumers). Hence, they might foster trust in markets and sectors, on the condition that they themselves act in a trustworthy way. Intermediaries as leverage for a polycentric, pluralist and open governance The core idea of RegTrust is based on the growing recognition that the right balance between trust and regulation [T&R] can be found via practices of intermediation. Intermediaries "may signal fairness and prevent the centralization of power in state bodies". "They may increase trust in the trustworthy; allow for ever-increasing delegation; and nurture credible pluralist and open governance". Intermediaries may be "part of the open, pluralist, and diverse network of actors who create the system of governance around issues, sectors, and polities". "The crises of our time call for efficient and legitimate governance, the kind that facilitates solutions for violent conflicts; for social and political cleavages; for climate and ecological crises; for inequality (…) (see RegTrust proposal part B1). RegTrust opens new ways to deal with and think about core questions on how trust, regulation and intermediaries sustain credible effective and legitimate governance". Hence, RegTrust seeks to understand how and under which conditions the involvement on such non-state intermediaries will foster a trustworthy and legitimate, open, pluralistic, polycentric governance in which regulatory powers are dispersed, a substantial degree of self-regulation exists and actors are empowered, providing more checks and balances in contrast to centralistic state-dominated governance . (partner in HE ERC Avanced Grant project)

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The focus of European post-pandemic politics is currently on enhancing system capacities for 'bouncing back' from crisis to normalcy. These efforts draw on resilience research, which has become the dominant paradigm in crisis management. However, there are broad governance challenges that the resilience approach fails to consider. Centrally, how can European societies harness flexible adaptation and proactive innovation to deliver effective crisis responses in situations, where going back to the way things were is neither possible nor desirable? And how can democratic institutions uphold core values such as democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights in the face of crisis-induced turbulence? To address these challenges, the ROBUST project aims to set in motion a paradigm shift from 'resilience' ('bouncing back') to 'robustness' ('building back better') as the central principle of future crisis governance. The project breaks new ground by operationalizing the concept of robust crisis governance and investigating such responses empirically. We combine historical and comparative analysis at EU, national and local levels to gather a multi-dimensional data set out of which we identify the configurations of factors that drive (or block) robustness in crisis governance. The project studies responses by EU institutions and eight European countries to three recent crises (the financial, refugee and COVID-19 crises) to understand general patterns in system-level crises response, while we also conduct in-depth studies of localized COVID-19 responses 'on the streets' of 16 European localities to understand how EU, national and local crisis responses interact and are experienced by citizens. On this basis, the project delivers the elements of a new mindset along with policy recommendations for enabling the robust crisis governance of the future, all anchored in a learning hub that will serve as the social engine of the paradigm shift envisioned by the project.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Van Dooren Wouter

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project assesses whether and how EU agencies use stakeholder engagement to gain authority over the decision-making of their principals: the European Commission and Member State agencies. Regulatory authority is derived from the formal mandate of an agency, but also from its reputation. A reputation reflects how the agency is perceived by and embedded in its environment, which is crucial for its ability to be authoritative. This ability is under threat in the case of EU agencies, yet we lack a clear explanation of how these agencies aim to enhance their reputation and authority and whether these efforts are effective. The project fills these crucial gaps in the literature by looking at how different stakeholder engagement practices affect the authority of EU agencies. It, furthermore, assesses whether EU agencies can enhance their authority under high politicisation. While their authority is most under threat in these cases, increased oversight from principals may mean that EU agencies are less able to enhance their reputation and authority when issues are highly politicised. This project employs an innovative combination of a survey with European Commission and Member State officials, (automated) document analysis of policy documents and Bayesian models to test these expectations.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Fellow: Joosen Rik

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Digital government consists in using digital technologies to improve the internal functioning of administrations and the delivery of services to companies and citizens. In recent years, numerous authors have been calling for a digital government that is citizen-centric, open to external innovations, or that integrates citizens' input and ideas for smarter decisions. The confluence of four major factors has redefined the role of citizens in government to turn them into potential co-creators of public services instead of passive beneficiaries. First, citizens have increasingly higher expectations regarding public services and expect more personalized public services as well as opportunities for participation. Second, public organizations are limited by their resources and their knowledge of what citizens need and therefore require innovative ways to develop solutions. Third, the problems faced by governments are increasingly complex (e.g., reaching Sustainable Development Goals) and call for collaborative approaches that include external partners, including citizens. Finally, the use of digital technologies allows making co-creation easier and more cost-effective. For these reasons, digital co-creation methods present a highly promising avenue for improving the delivery of public services. However, due to the rapid evolution of digital technologies and the resulting diversity of co-creation methods, it is tedious for governments to implement the most optimal co-creation strategy given the stakeholders they wish to involve and the outcomes they wish to achieve. Therefore, the objective of the BeCoDigital project is to develop a practical and scientifically grounded roadmap (consisting of organized guidelines) to support citizen co-creation through digital technologies, and to validate it with use cases in a government context. To achieve this objective, the BeCoDigital project is structured into three main work packages (WP), each of them studying one aspect of digital co-creation and converging toward the roadmap. The research will take place over two years, from January 2023 to December 2024.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Van Dooren Wouter

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project is about the development and implementation of a new leadership programme in Public Governance and Public Leadership for the benefit of federal civil servants. This training is developed and given together with other Belgian Universities.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

emish cities are expected to take a leading role in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. At the core of these strategies are nature based solutions (NBS) by green, blue and hybrid urban infrastructures. NBS address multiple problems related to climate change in an integrated, sustainable way. Although investments in NBS infrastructures are considered a cost effective way to achieve future societal and environmental benefits, current public budgets in Flanders are insufficient. As a result, the gap between investments in and societal need for NBS is growing. In contrast to limited public budgets, there is an abundance of private capital seeking for investments. Yet, the potential to invest private capital in NBS is not fully exploited. NBS projects typically have sizeable upfront costs and diffuse and long-term societal benefits that are not easily captured in steady cash flows, making privately financed schemes often inappropriate. In order to attract private investments to NBS, new business models and alternative financing mechanisms are needed. In this project, we study the utilisation potential of three innovative financing models in the Flemish context: value capturing, impact financing and crowd funding with initial coin offerings (ICO). In order to develop a realistic but holistic and interdisciplinary approach, this strategic research will study how the new financial instruments impact planning and institutional processes, governance arrangements, valuation methods, juridical instruments as well as social justice. Together with our stakeholders, we will co-design six prototypes of alternative financing business models for green, blue and hybrid infrastructure. The urban living lab approach will ensure continuous integrated assessment of the spatial, juridical, administrative, economic feasibility and social impact of the new financing business models, optimising the utilisation potential for the societal users.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Contemporary governance of society is complex, as public authorities at different levels of government (EU, national, subnational) cooperate with non-state actors in multi-layered decision-making arenas when designing and implementing regulation. This complexity of governance is reflected in the concept of 'multi-level governance'. For a multi-level governance system to perform well, trust is a fundamental condition. While a certain degree of organised distrust between actors may be functional, the recurring reports of declining trust between citizens, private sector organizations, and public authorities at different governmental levels raise severe challenges for society. When trust declines, cooperation between citizens, private organizations, and government, but also between public authorities at the different levels of government is compromised. And without cooperation, effective governance is not possible. However, scientific knowledge about the dynamics, causes and effect of trust and distrust in multilevel governance is underdeveloped. Encompassing research teams from political science and public administration, law, communication sciences and behavioural economics, the research excellence consortium GOVTRUST will study in an interdisciplinary way the dynamics, causes and effects of trust and distrust between the actors involved in multi-level governance. To that end, the consortium will apply mixed research designs with diverse research methodologies, including legal studies, large-N surveys, different kinds of experiments, content analysis, social network analysis as well as small-N controlled case comparisons. With its research program, collaborations and activities the consortium will contribute to scientific knowledge at an international level of excellence, while increasing the international reputation of the University of Antwerp and aiming for a substantial impact on the governance of society.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Declerck Carolyn
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Co-promoter: Walrave Michel

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Our scientific research network, known as the "The Executive Triangle", was informally established in 2015, initially comprising 12 senior academics with an interest in researching executive-level public administration from across Europe and the UK. We have since grown to include more than 26 senior researchers across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Fortunately for Flanders, Professor Marleen Brans in the Public Governance Institute at KU Leuven, was a key founding partner of the network, a key researcher, and is a leading voice in the group. We have only just made early steps to formalise our network, by, among other things, coordinating specialist panels at international conferences, preparing joint grant applications, developing a research agenda, and plans to launch a website. If successful, the Scientific Research Network (WOG) grant will provide a timely contribution to strengthen the network and help our Flemish partners improve their scientific leadership and knowledge exchange. We aim to use grant funding for building scientific collaboration by organising workshops, symposia, specialist technical exchanges, and joint publications. Plus, we aim to submit joint research projects with international research bodies (such as the UK's Economic and Social Research Council, Research Council of Norway, German Research Foundation, and international/multi-lateral level opportunities like the successor of Horizon 2020, NORFACE, and Open Research Area), which, if successful, would provide Flemish researchers access to new comparative projects and publications. Our research questions focus on the impact of politicisation on policymaking and legitimacy across Europe. Building a research infrastructure to answer our research questions will be a major step beyond purely descriptive analyses towards understanding the consequences of politicisation. In a more nuanced sense, the Executive Triangle delves into the tension between political craft and professional competence; or in other words, tension between democracy and technocracy. Critically, the network could potentially lay the foundation for a major push forward in the comparative study of the apex of governments, which has only progressed incrementally since the early 1980s.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Research professorship position funded by Special Research Fund BOF - UAntwerp Research Council: CentraI is the question how public sector organisations are steered and coordinated in a multi-Ievel environment (and how the control by different governmental levels interact with each other). Additionally, affiliated research issues are defined which focus on related issues of the influence of global crises, risks and reform ideas on governance, on multi-Ievel collaboration and regulation, and on national public administrations. The research plan aims at designing and testing refined explanatory modeis, drawing from different theoretical perspectives, by combining quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Fellow: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Governance refers to the system through which an organization or network of actors is controlled and held accountable. The ability of groups or organizations to self-govern, at least to some extent, is essential in government, as well as in the relation of government with societal actors and the citizenry. Self-governance, autonomy, and accountability have been conceptualized and measured in political science, public administration, and law in many different ways. This project aims to develop measurement instruments that can measure the extent and dimensions of self-governance, autonomy, and accountability through text analysis of government documents. The project, which will run for 1,5 year (December 2022-May 2024), will systematically review existing work, integrate disciplinary views into new coding schemes and measurement instruments, test the latter by application to different government documents, and investigate automated data gathering and analysis using computer-assisted methods of extracting and organizing data from large quantities of unstructured text in government documents. The project will be led by Koen Verhoest (public administration and governance; main promoter), Peter Bursens (political science, co-promoter) and Patricia Popelier (law, co-promoter).

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Poels Karolien
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Regulation and trust are at the heart of our society. In setting regulations to govern the behavior of citizens, firms and states, policymakers make regulatory design choices that are partly grounded in trust/distrust between them and key actors in the field at hand. Yet we know surprisingly little about the iterative processes whereby the nature of regulation and trust affect each other over time. A truly interdisciplinary project bringing theoretical, methodological and empirical innovations, REGTRUST studies the bidirectional relation between the nature of regulation and levels of trust through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Focusing on the case of EU financial regulation during 2011-20, REGTRUST 1) maps the nature of EU financial regulation along two key dimensions (specificity-broadness; stability-revisability), 2) assesses statistically significant relations between such a nature and current and past levels of trust/distrust among key EU and national actors (policymakers, regulators, regulatees, consumers), and 3) traces causal mechanisms underpinning these statistically significant relations. The MSCA postdoctoral fellowship builds on the existing experience and talent of the researcher (Dr. Bernardo Rangoni) and is supported by the expertise and facilities offered by the University of Antwerp (Prof. Koen Verhoest) and the secondment at the Florence School of Banking and Finance (Prof. ElenaCarletti). A customized dissemination and communication plan ensures that the project and its results are known well beyond the academic community, while also seeking active engagement with a wider audience (e.g. workshops, class experiments). Altogether, REGTRUST at once bridges a major scientific gap and makes a timely contribution to pressing societal debates.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project evaluates the framework for regulatort oversight in the Flemish social housing sector. Based on interviews with stakeholders, we will assess whether the system of oversight and performance assessment is effective. We will also analyse whether the system needs to be adapted to broader reforms in the public housing sector.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Vermeir Diederik

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (VH) – a reluctance or refusal to be vaccinated – varies considerably across EU member states (74,3% in Spain versus 58,9% in France and 56,3% in Poland) (Lazarus et al., 2020). Understanding why and how this vaccine hesitancy occurs is important, and the relevance of this issue carries beyond national borders. This is especially the case in the EU–comprised of 27 countries with diverse experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, various political systems and citizens embedded in different political communities. So far, vaccine hesitancy in developed countries has been investigated mostly from the health sciences perspective and focused almost exclusively (1) on socio-economic and demographic explanations (2) in specific subgroups of the population (at meso- levels, e.g. health professionals, parents, religious or immigrant communities). Little has been done in the field of political science to explore possible (1) political explanations for vaccine hesitancy and (2) at other than meso-levels (i.e. at macro-(cross-country) and micro-(individual)level). Meanwhile, the cross-national differences in VH and recent evidence suggest that VH might be strongly linked to political factors. Against this backdrop, this project asks: how do political factors explain vaccine hesitancy at macro- and micro-levels? In this interdisciplinary project, I combine insights from political science, political psychology, European studies, public administration and health sciences to build a theoretical model offering political explanations of vaccine hesitancy. Based on extensive literature review, I conceptualize vaccine hesitancy as contradictory to vaccination, which is a (a) pro-social (b) rule and norm compliant (c) risk-taking behavior. As such, it is likely to be a result of both normative (i.e. European identity, party orientations) and instrumental modes of compliance (i.e. trust) known from the compliance literature. To these, I add one more political factor of possibly high relevance for vaccine hesitancy: political polarization. As research shows, increasing political polarization is currently undermining functioning of democratic regimes around the world (Carothers & O'Donohue, 2019; Citrin & Stoker, 2018; McCoy, Rahman, & Somer, 2018; McCoy & Somer, 2019). In politically polarized states, "cleavages are likely to be very deep, consensus is surely low, and legitimacy of the political system is widely questioned" (Sartori, 1976, p. 135). High political polarization hinders government's capacity to solve collective action problems, which might result in e.g. vaccine hesitancy. This project contributes to several important academic debates. First, I add to health sciences by bringing in a political science perspective: I offer new political explanations to the old questions of vaccine hesitancy. Second, I formulate socio-political consequences of political polarization and trust in a highly relevant area of public health. Third, I adapt the theoretical framework of rule compliance to a new field of vaccination and vaccine hesitancy. Fourth, I link the specific rule compliance behavior to the issues of national vs. European identity, exploring to what extent these political identities can be translated into a pro-social risk-taking behavior.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Fellow: Proszowska Dominika

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Hoewel ingrijpende Covid-19 lockdownmaatregelen legitiem waren in de eerste maanden van de crisis, begint de roep om strenge maatregelen geleidelijk aan af te nemen. Burgers eisen dat exit-strategieën ontwikkeld worden met voldoende aandacht voor hun sociaaleconomische belangen, terwijl potentiële inbreuken op grondrechten zoals bewegingsvrijheid, privacy en eerlijke mededinging, en rechtsbeginselen zoals gelijkheid en proportionaliteit, leiden tot kritiek en zelfs rechtszaken tegen overheidsmaatregelen. De huidige overheidsstrategieën zijn hoofdzakelijk gebaseerd zijn op epidemiologisch en medisch onderzoek. De toenemende relevantie van sociale en juridische factoren voor exit-strategieën impliceert echter dat nieuwe data en kennis dringend nodig zijn. In het bijzonder is er behoefte aan inzicht in de voorwaarden waaronder Covid-19 overheidsmaatregelen sociaal legitiem en wettig zijn en burgers stimuleren tot naleving. Ons project verhelpt het gebrek aan wetenschappelijke en beleidsrelevante kennis van sociale en juridische factoren van belang bij Covid- 19 exit-strategieën, door middel van een dubbele onderzoekaanpak: 1) drie vignette surveys bestuderen hoe de nalevingsbereidheid en legitimiteit van combinaties van nieuwe Belgische Covid-19 maatregelen worden beïnvloed door framing op onderliggende volksgezondheids-, sociale en juridische belangen, en 2) een systematische juridische analyse genereert inzicht in de wettigheid van nieuwe maatregelen, en dient tevens als essentiële input voor het ontwerp van voornoemde vignette surveys. Door middel van continue communicatie aan overheden van resultaten uit zowel de vignette survey als de juridische analyse, kunnen we reeds gedurende het project beleidsrelevante input leveren voor concrete maatregelen. Daarmee helpen we overheden om geïnformeerde en gebalanceerde beslissingen te nemen over hun exit-strategieën en helpen we gebrekkige naleving van of rechtszaken tegen Covid-19 maatregelen te voorkomen.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Declerck Carolyn
• Co-promoter: van Zimmeren Esther
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Walrave Michel

Research team(s)

• Government and Law

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

TiGRE provides an encompassing and coherent analytical framework for the study of trust relationships in governance. It studies trust among actors of regulatory regimes, such as regulators, political, administrative and judicial bodies, the regulated industries, service providers and their interest organisations, consumers and other societal interests, as well as citizens at large. TiGRE opens thereby new research directions within the tradition of studies of trust relationships between citizens and public authorities. TiGRE's aim is to reveal the role of trust and distrust in European regulatory governance and the ways trust can be maintained, enhanced, repaired and nurtured via administrative practices and reforms. It takes a multilevel governance approach, which includes the EU level as well as the national and regional ones. Trust – both as a pre-condition and a consequence of well-functioning regulatory regimes – is a key factor to be considered in order to capture how these regimes are able to produce effective and legitimate governance. The in-depth investigation of the complex interplay between trust configurations and regulation in different regulatory regimes (finance, food safety, communication and data protection) across levels of governance and in several countries requires the joint effort of experts with wide-ranging experience. TiGRE is run by a tightly integrated multidisciplinary consortium of top-level scholars, who bring together a very broad range of theoretical, substantial, and methodological skills. A cutting-edge mixed-method approach is applied to provide a comprehensive understanding of such multi-faceted trust-related processes. To bridge research with policy and practice, TiGRE provides criteria, indicators and early warning mechanisms for detecting decreasing trust, and scenarios on consequences thereof. They will be validated through interaction with stakeholders and compared with evidence from outside the EU.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Van Dooren Wouter

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

TiGRE provides an encompassing and coherent analytical framework for the study of trust relationships in governance. It studies trust among actors of regulatory regimes, such as regulators, political, administrative and judicial bodies, the regulated industries, service providers and their interest organisations, consumers and other societal interests, as well as citizens at large. TiGRE opens thereby new research directions within the tradition of studies of trust relationships between citizens and public authorities. TiGRE's aim is to reveal the role of trust and distrust in European regulatory governance and the ways trust can be maintained, enhanced, repaired and nurtured via administrative practices and reforms. It takes a multilevel governance approach, which includes the EU level as well as the national and regional ones. Trust – both as a pre-condition and a consequence of well-functioning regulatory regimes – is a key factor to be considered in order to capture how these regimes are able to produce effective and legitimate governance. The in-depth investigation of the complex interplay between trust configurations and regulation in different regulatory regimes (finance, food safety, communication and data protection) across levels of governance and in several countries requires the joint effort of experts with wide-ranging experience. TiGRE is run by a tightly integrated multidisciplinary consortium of top-level scholars, who bring together a very broad range of theoretical, substantial, and methodological skills. A cutting-edge mixed-method approach is applied to provide a comprehensive understanding of such multi-faceted trust-related processes. To bridge research with policy and practice, TiGRE provides criteria, indicators and early warning mechanisms for detecting decreasing trust, and scenarios on consequences thereof. They will be validated through interaction with stakeholders and compared with evidence from outside the EU.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Co-promoter: van Zimmeren Esther
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Government and Law

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The potential and actual use of Big Data (BD) applications affects the theoretical and practical context of decision-making, learning and process optimisation in the public sector. DIGI4FED ​aims to develop a governance design that serves the internal administrative and public service processes of the Belgian federal government; a governance design that is embedded in the open governance ecosystem and makes full use of the potential offered by big data (BD) and its application via artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology (BCT​).

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Walrave Michel

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This proposal studies the temporal dynamics between the reputation of public organizations and the structural reforms they experience. Public organizations perform important services in society. When performance of these organizations is perceived to be problematic, political and administrative actors are often urged to initiate structural reforms (e.g., reshuffling tasks between organizations, merging or changing the legal status of organizations). Therefore, reforms have symbolic value as signals to society that problems concerning public sector performance are being perceived and acted upon. However, no studies have examined on a large sample how the perceived performance of public organizations (i.e., their reputation) affects these organizations' chances for being reformed. Neither do we know how structural reforms in turn impact organizations' future reputations. This proposal addresses these gaps. The dynamics between reputation and reforms through time are studied on a diverse set of 60 Flemish public organizations. Specific attention goes to the moderating role of reputation management strategies of these organizations and to several organizational and environmental conditions. The proposal will benefit from the most recent developments in machine learning techniques to automatically collect data on the multiple facets of the reputation and reputation management of public organizations. Advanced statistical models allow to analyze the complex relations through time.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Daelemans Walter
• Fellow: Boon Jan

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Research project funded by the Flemish Research Fund: Customer satisfaction regarding public services is often only loosely coupled to changes in actual performance. This gap between satisfaction and performance may lead to misguided reforms and may erode trust in public services. Literature shows how the incapacity of customers to assess actual performance can be attributed to the bounded rationality of customers. We know less about how public communication influences this bounded decision making that underlies the performance-satisfaction gap. With the rise of social media, the communication channels for public sector organizations have grown extensively. Twitter has become the dominant medium since it allows public organizations to interact directly with large audiences and offer live updates on services. Twitter should be ideally suited to address the information problem and thus to mitigate the performance-satisfaction gap. Yet, studies to the potential benefits and effects of social media within a public sector context are lacking. This project therefore asks whether and how public communication by public service providers via Twitter reduces the performance satisfaction gap. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest setup with advanced time series modelling, this project will bring new insights on what influences satisfaction of public services, the effect of public communication through social media as well as methodological innovation in the use of social media sources for Public Administration research.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: Wynen Jan

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Research Project funded by the Flemish Research Fund: In the last decades, waves of structural reforms have been implemented in OECD countries to create more efficient public services, causing some organizations to have experienced severe and continuous trajectories of for instance mergers, splits and changes in legal form. While governments continuously impose structural reforms to improve public sector performance, we may simultaneously expect such continuous structural reforms to have detrimental side-effects, such as strong reductions in employee job satisfaction. Recognizing that continuous structural reforms have become a pervasive feature of modern public sectors, the research proposed here will innovatively investigate (a) the effect of extensive structural reform histories on post-reform levels of job satisfaction and (b) the impact of such reform histories on the long-term recuperation of job satisfaction levels following sequences of reforms. We utilize a combination of both large-N regression analysis and a small-N natural experiment. Both the large-N and small-N phases will utilize two measurement points, not only allowing us to assess the long-term development of job satisfaction, but also to improve causal inference. As job satisfaction has been linked with factors such as performance, turnover and even sick leave on the basis of single reform studies, but the long-term effects of continuous structural reforms remain unexplored, the project holds important implications for scholars and policy-makers.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Wynen Jan

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The five thematic BRAIN-TRAINER tracks compose a truly interdisciplinary approach, with interlinkages and mutual inputs, and with feedback scenario loops among them. This provides governments realistic approaches to future developments. The output is useful not only in a Belgian context, but has scientific merits which are also applicable in other contexts, both as to the methods and techniques developed, as to the types of scenario applications made. The lessons learned and methods developed can for instance be applied also to measure economic and environmental impact for other economic activity sectors, to optimize regulatory setups, and to create a suitable government interaction and co-ordination framework.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Vanelslander Thierry
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Transport and Regional Economics

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Collaboration with external stakeholders such as businesses, non-profit organizations, interest groups and citizens continues to manifest itself as an important vehicle for public sector innovation. Red tape, or burdensome rules and procedures that negatively affect performance, is known as a crucial barrier to the effective functioning of public organisations (Bozeman, 1993). While research indicates that red tape hampers innovation as well as collaboration, red tape is rarely included in research into conditions for collaborative innovation specifically. It is still unclear through which mechanisms red tape affects collaborative innovation, and which aspects of collaborative innovation (such as the set-up of the collaboration, its sustainment, or its innovative success) are hindered by red tape. Therefore this project proposes a two phased-research. In the first explorative stage the complex dynamics between red tape and collaborative innovation are studied qualitatively and in depth in five comparative cases in the social policy sector. In the second stage the findings from the first stage are tested by conducting a survey among managers of the highest and second highest hierarchical level of 44 public organizations (departments and agencies). This survey is processed using multilevel regression analysis. This PhD scholarship from the Flemish Research Council is awarded to Charlotte Van Dijck (KULeuven), with Koen Verhoest (UAntwerpen) as co-promoter. In line with its focus on collaborative innovation, this application is a collaboration between KULeuven (promoter Trui Steen) and the Research Group on Politics & Public Governance, University of Antwerp (co-promoter Koen Verhoest). The financial resources are allocated to the main institution (KULeuven). The research is closely linked to the interuniversity project on public sector innovation through collaboration PSI-CO as coordinated by Koen Verhoest (UAntwerpen).

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project is set up to do scientific research into context and changes in regulatory actors with inspection tasks (internationally and nationally). The research is done by Nick Thijs and Dr. Jan Boon.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The Research Group on Public Administration and Management from the University of Antwerp is partner and work package leader in the H2020 funded project TROPICO (2017-2021). The international research project TROPICO (Transforming into Open, Innovative and Collaborative Governments) received funding over 4.7 mil Euro from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to study digital transformation in the public sector. For UAntwerpen prof. Koen Verhoest is involved as well as one PhD researcher and one post-doc position. By comparing formal frameworks and individual bureaucrats' attitudes, it investigates the key drivers and barriers for better collaboration using information and communication technologies (ICT). Looking closer into key practices of ICT-enabled collaboration among governmental authorities but also between the state and users (citizen, companies or societal organisations etc.), TROPICO identifies key trends and crucial features making better collaboration work in practice. Finally, it assesses the effects of ICT-based collaboration for accountability and identifying responsibilities as well as red tape and governmental efficiency. The work package (2019-2020) led by the University of Antwerp (RG on Public Administration and Management – coordinator Prof. Koen Verhoest) studied how different kinds of partnerships between public and private actors lead to collaborative innovation in service delivery, and how citizens and users are involved in these collaborative processes. The project brings together an inter-disciplinary team of researchers in public administration, public management, political science, sociology, law, and digital engineering from 12 leading universities in 10 European countries. It runs from June 2017 to May 2021 and is coordinated by the University of Bergen. The 12 project partners are: University of Bergen (Norway), Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium), Cardiff University (United Kingdom), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (Netherlands), Hertie School of Governance (Germany), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), Central European University (Hungary), Roskilde Universitet (Denmark), Tallinna Tehnikaulikool (Estonia), Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain), and Universität Potsdam (Germany) Regular updates on the project are available online: www.tropico-project.eu and @tropico_project on Twitter.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Public Administration & Management
• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This MSCA individual fellowship 'PATECH' is awarded to dr. Veiko Lember with KULeuven as main institution (G. Bouckaert as promoter) and UAntwerpen as partner organisation (Research Group on Politics & Public Governance - Koen Verhoest as host). The financial resources are fully allocated to the main institution - KULeuven. Digital technologies are in the centre of the ongoing industrial revolution that is bound to change not only markets, but also societies and governments. Central to these developments is the evolution of public sector technological capacities, that is, an ability of public organizations to explore, develop and/or adapt new technological solutions in public service design, delivery and evaluation. One of the central questions that has so far fallen in between different research strands is how technology affects the evolution of work organization and administrative capacities in public sector. In the context of increasing dependence on technological developments, and thus, related opportunities as well as uncertainties and risks, the conventional public administration accounts fall short in fully grasping the influence of technology on public sector change. The research objectives of the project are to: a) develop a coherent and novel conceptual framework on public sector technological capacities and provide novel and empirically grounded explanations on the co-evolutionary development mechanisms of public organizations and technology through comparative cross-country analysis. In order to map and understand different co-evolutionary patterns, the project will use a comparative approach by studying two different fields (with high and low/moderate level of technological complexity) in two different small states (in an advanced (Belgium) and less advanced (Estonia) socio-economic contexts).

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

In this project together with Prof. Joris Voets (UGent), Koen Verhoest (UAntwerpen) and Astrid Molenveld (Erasmus University Rotterdam and UAntwerpen) jointly develop a trajectory to upscale network management skills in the Flemish government in order to improve the coordination of transversal and horizontal policy issues. This is done through a combination of knowledge transfer, cases, project-based working, intervision and foreign visits. Funded by the Flemish Government.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Public Administration & Management
• Politics & Public Governance

Project website

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The core research revolves around the theme of multilevel governance in the EU. The consortium examines how EU multilevel governance impacts upon public policymaking processes in relation to rule-making and rule-implementation, both at the European and the domestic level. Its research program is centered around three interrelated research lines focusing on the complex multilevel governance system of the EU, changing domestic and EU rule-making processes and the legitimacy of the EU multilevel political system. Multilevel governance in the EU has made the organizational and institutional architecture of government and governance institutions much more interdependent and complex, affecting the way national and European societal interests organize themselves, how they secure representation and provide input in order to influence policy outcomes. These developments interact with changing domestic and European processes and outcomes of rule-making. All this ultimately raises questions concerning the legitimacy of how the EU multilevel political system operates and involves citizens and societal groups.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Bursens Peter
• Co-promoter: Beyers Jan
• Co-promoter: De Bièvre Dirk
• Co-promoter: Meeusen Johan
• Co-promoter: Popelier Patricia
• Co-promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: van Zimmeren Esther
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Education Project
• Research Project

Abstract

Whereas the creation and institutionalization of semi-autonomous agencies with increasing degrees of organizational autonomy has been a global trend for more than two decades, an partially opposite international trend of increased saliency of these agencies resulting in de-agencification, agency mergers, and reducing agency autonomy becomes recently observable. In this joint four-year research project by prof. dr. Heidi Houlberg Salomonsen (Denmark), prof.dr. Koen Verhoest and dr. Jan Boon (both UAntwerpen), financed by the Danish Agency for Science, Research and Innovation, we connect these observations with theoretical insights of bureaucratic theory, as elaborated by Daniel Carpenter, George Krause and Moshe Maor. In order to test and further develop central claims made in bureaucratic reputation theory, this project consists of two distinct yet integrated parts. First a medium-N study, including the quantitative analysis of hypotheses on whether threats to different aspects of an agency's reputation affect the various types of communication responses from different types of agencies with different kinds of tasks. In this part we test acclaimed theoretical insights which were derived from regulatory agencies in US and Israeli context by studying agencies with different kinds of tasks in different politico-administrative settings. Second a multiple-case study, using process-tracing methods to identify whether an accumulation of reputational threats to agencies results in political decisions at the detriment of agencies.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Public Administration & Management
• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

As a result of a participatory research trajectory with a survey of 100 policy makers and practitioners, two workshops and a conference, a policy brief was written on how to optimize the societal and spatial added value of public private partnerships (PPP). This project was done in cooperation with the Flemish Architectural Regulator, the PPP Knowledge Center and the PPP Investment Agency and was conducted by Koen Verhoest, Tom Willems and Joris Voets (UGent).

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

The interuniversity consortium 'Public Sector Innovation through Collaboration' (2015-2020), coordinated by Professor Koen Verhoest (UAntwerpen) consists of four Belgian (UAntwerpen, KULeuven, UCL and ULg) and one Dutch university (Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam) and is funded by the BRAIN-be program (Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks). The partners will work together and study how specific collaborative arrangements can lead to innovation and how governments can support and enhance these collaborations. Both Belgian and foreign collaborative practices in different policy domains will be investigated, using case studies, surveys and action research (Living Labs methodology). The research aims to generate both fundamental/scientific insights (PhDs and publications) and policy-oriented insights (recommendations for Belgian federal government and/or other governments). Nowadays, Public Sector Innovation (PSI) is high on government agendas across the globe. Confronted with major budgetary pressures and grand societal challenges, governments worldwide experience a need to step beyond conventional wisdoms and sedimented practices. Public sector innovation literature increasingly asserts that the ability of public organisations to engage and set-up collaborative interaction within and across governmental levels and with societal actors determines their innovative capacity. Government can set up collaborative governance arrangements by engaging in (a) transversal coordination and collaboration with other departments and agencies within government as well as across governments. Government can also engage (b) individual citizens, (for profit and non-profit) organisations and organized interests through co-production or other forms of participation. Despite the growing awareness of the need for collaboration, there is a lack of knowledge about how such collaborative governance arrangements results in meaningful innovations regarding policies and services, and how different forms of collaborative governance interact and reinforce each other. This project will address this research gap by conducting a multi method study on collaborative innovation, studying both (a) how collaborative governance can foster innovation, and (b) by what conditions, in turn, collaborative innovation is supported. The overall research question of this project is 'how and under which conditions do collaborative governance arrangements foster the initiation, adoption and diffusion of innovations in policies and services?' The project uses multiple methods to address these questions, combining (1) a multiple case study phase, (2) a validation phase (Delphi and international validation), (3) a design-phase with two test cases, using Living Lab methodology and (4) a gap-analysis phase, using quantitative survey data, and (5) this in an international comparative set-up.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project, funded by BOF (Special Research Fund) studies through quantitative and qualitative research the impact of reforms on the organizational climate in public sector organizations. The research is done by Bjorn Kleizen with Prof. dr. Koen Verhoest and dr. Jan Wynen as supervisors. The research does not deal with effects on individuals inside organisations.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Fellow: Kleizen Bjorn

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

In response to economic pressures and increasing demands on public sector performance, subsequent waves of public sector reforms were introduced over the last decades. During these global reform waves, public sector organizations were subject to a wide array of structural changes. Research has largely neglected the impact of such sequential and repeated structural changes on public sector organizations. My research addresses this gap and examines the effect of an organization's history of structural changes on a key variable for the functioning of a public sector organization: the way it deals with organizational autonomy. The autonomy an organization enjoys in practice does not always equal the formal autonomy it received from political principals (parliament, cabinet and ministers). Some organizations do not fully exploit their autonomy leading to situations whereby organizations are unable to fulfill their goals for society. In contrast, others try to maximize and even expand it, making the organizations more resistant to control from their political principals. Consequently, the issue of organizational autonomy is attracting much academic interest because it impacts directly on both public sector performance as well as democratic control of public organizations. The link between an organization's history of structural changes and its organizational autonomy will be examined using large N data as well as small N indepth case studies. This FWO post-doc is carried out at both KULeuven and UAntwerpen.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Fellow: Wynen Jan

Research team(s)

• Public Administration & Management
• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

PhD research funded by the Agency for Innovation and Science: Innovation is currently a hot topic and policy makers all over the world believe that innovation is required to tackle major global policy challenges. Often the assumption is made that public-private partnerships (PPPs) are one of the cooperation forms that can deliver on innovative outcomes. However, there is insufficient knowledge on how and under what conditions the governance of PPPs can be used to stimulate innovation and sustainability. Therefore, the main research question in this PhD project is: how does the governance of PPP-projects by the government influence the degree to which private sector companies involved in these PPP-projects innovate? We expect that both 'market-oriented governance' and 'network governance' instruments can influence innovation and that these elements interact with each other. The empirical research will be divided into two steps: first a medium-N study based on fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs-QCA) and second a small-N case study based on comparative process tracing.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Fellow: Hueskes Marlies

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

EU-funded H2020 project BENEFIT takes an innovative approach by analysing funding schemes within an inter-related system. Funding schemes are successful (or not) depending on the Business Model that generates them. The performance of the Business Model is affected by the implementation context and the transport mode. It is matched successfully (or not) by a financing scheme. Relations between actors are described by a governance model (contracting arrangements). These are key elements in Transport Infrastructure Provision, Operation and Maintenance. Success is a measure of the appropriate matching of elements. Within BENEFIT funding and financing schemes are analysed in this respect. Describing these key elements through their characteristics and attributes and clustering each of them is the basis of, first, developing a generic framework.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Flemish Public Service. UA provides the Flemish Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract. The project aims at strengthening the sustainability of government actions and public procurement in the context of the grand societal challenge to make the economy greener and more sustainable. The project analyses how sustainability aims are inserted into innovative public procurement contracts and cooperation models (including public private partnerships PPPs) and how this is actually applied in real-life cooperation. This is studied in a multi-level context of European legislation and policies.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Interuniversity research project financed within the BRAIN program (Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks). BRAIN-TRAINS deals with rail freight intermodality, and the extent to which it can be made successful, under market, society and policy-making challenges, and analyzing how intermodality contributes to answering these challenges. Starting point is the relative weak usage of this type of transport. The research proposal aims at building on existing knowiedge, integrating, and approaching the problem from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Flemish Public Service. UA provides the Flemish Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract. This project studies the extent to which public private partnerships can lead to more quality, added value in terms of economic, ecological and social benefits, and how this materialises in the complex multi-level partnerships which are prevailing in Flanders (local, regional and European).

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: Coppens Tom

Research team(s)

• Public Administration & Management
• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand Erasmus Mundus. UA provides Erasmus Mundus research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract. This funding provides in the preparation of a PhD by Nurul Amin on the effects of the global trend of liberalisation and the emergence of a multi-level regulatory arrangement on the regulatory effectiveness and market competitiveness in telecom and energy in South Asian countries, in comparison with other parts of the world.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Flemish Public Service. UA provides the Flemish Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract. This project starts with the observation that the current structure of the government is not fit to deal with the global societal grand challenges in a multi-level and globalising context which we are confronted with. How has the government to be organised to be able to act in a transversal coordinated way across levels, in a resilient and swift way taking into account the restricted budget? This project deploys survey, interviews and focus groups to tackle these questions.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other Republic of Indonesia. UA provides Republic of Indonesia research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract. This project studies how governments deal with public private partnerships as globally diffused form of public service delivery. How should governments regulate, support and steer public private partnerships and what is the effects on the features and dynamics of these partnerships? This study compares policies and practices in European countries with other countries, taking into account the effect of supranational regulations and policies.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Public Administration & Management
• Politics & Public Governance

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

In these times of global financial and fiscal crisis, governments all over the world are looking for ways to reduce the budgetary burden of public organizations and to foster their economical and cost-conscious behaviour. The budgetary policies of the EU are also a major factor in this. One crucial element is the reduction of overhead costs within public organizations, as this allows budgetary savings and the reallocation of relative more budgetary means to the primary activities of public organizations. Overhead costs refer to the resources that organizations invest in supporting functions which enable the execution of their primary processes. The share of resources spent on organizational overhead (i.e. spent on non-program expenses) is generally considered to be a good inverse measurement of economical behaviour of organizations. Hence, for governments and society at large, it is crucial to know what causes large organizational overhead, and hence, a lack of economical behaviour. Moreover, since the 1980s governments around the world have adopted New Public Management (NPM) reforms, aiming to render public organizations more business-like, and make them more economical and cost-conscious as part of a better performance (i.e. economy, efficiency and effectiveness). According to NPM-doctrines, public bureaucracies needed to become 'lean and mean', by among others (1) disaggregating them in smaller, single-purpose agencies at some distance from government and shielding them off from political influence , (2) by giving them large degrees of managerial autonomy and (3) simultaneously subjecting them to result control by the minister through performance contracts and incentives. These changes in the control and regulatory environment of public organizations was believed to enhance economical behaviour, and hence reduce share of overhead costs. Likewise, more private sector oriented management would cut overhead costs. However, until now empirical research remains inconclusive about the extent performance, including economical behaviour, has indeed improved by agencification and other NPM-reforms. Also governments are increasingly sceptical about the extent to which NPM reduced overhead expenses for government as a whole, as NPM reforms, like agencification, seemed to have created proliferation and fragmentation of overhead functions. By using a dataset on all 70 departments and agencies under the remit of the Flemish government, this project enables to compare the share of overhead between organizations which have been subjected to a different extent to managerial autonomy and result control by the minister, as well as to other NPM reforms. Moreover, the project studies and theorizes the effect of these reforms on organizational overhead. The project deals with the caveats which we identify in the current state of the art of governmental efficiency studies and public sector performance studies, by: (1) defining a robust theoretical framing of hypotheses, based on neo-institutional economics and alternative theories; (2) integrating external (i.e. control and regulatory environment, task-specific and political environment) and internal determinants (i.e. management, encompassing structure, tools, values and strategies) in one theoretical model and studying their interaction effects; (3) explaining public sector overhead across sectors; (4) having attention for the political environment of public organizations and its effects; (5) avoiding the use of potentially biased perceptual data or ill-comparable archival data regarding relevant variabels, through the use of a non-obtrusive dataset, (6) by studying causality through three alternative methods (statistical analysis methods, econometric estimation of parametric frontiers and comparative configurational methods (CCM)), resulting in methodological triangulation.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen
• Co-promoter: De Borger Bruno
• Fellow: Boon Jan

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

CentraI is the question how public sector organisations are steered and coordinated in a multi-Ievel environment (and how the control by different governmental levels interact with each other). Additionally, affiliated research issues are defined which focus on related issues of the influence of global crises, risks and reform ideas on governance, on multi-Ievel collaboration and regulation, and on national public administrations. The research plan aims at designing and testing refined explanatory modeis, drawing from different theoretical perspectives, by combining quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Federal Public Service. UA provides the Federal Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Dooren Wouter
• Co-promoter: Janvier Ria
• Co-promoter: Verhoest Koen

Research team(s)

• Politics & Public Governance
• Public Administration & Management

Project type(s)

• Research Project