Abstract
Public administrations (PAs) are fully and deeply plunged in processes like globalisation, dematerialization, and digitalisation. Processes that are contributing to drive/influence the reform that has invested PAs during the last decades calling for their managerilisation. In this environment, smart working (SW) could represent an opportunity for PAs to play their role more efficiently and effectively, that is, better for their citizens and the other stakeholders. SW is essentially based on two principles: greater discretion and responsibility in working activities. This implies the need to manage PAs’ resources appropriately to make possible the deployment and institutionalization of these principles and to move from “hell/purgatory” to “paradise” situations. To this end, the research project (RP) focuses on the relationships between SW and the most relevant resources/capitals in PAs: the human, the structural/organizational, and the relational. In particular, based on the theoretical perspective of the intellectual capital the RP aims at: • analysing the main factors that may impact the implementation of SW in PAs and their impact on individual and organisational performance; • identifying policies and change management models and actions for SW implementation in PAs; Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca MUR - BANDO 2022 • defining tools for measuring and managing performance from planning to control/evaluation of individual and organisational performance in PAs, whether financial and non-financial (e.g. self-esteem, employee satisfaction, gender equality, citizens satisfaction); • establishing an inter-universities laboratory focused on researching SW policies and practices in PAs. A laboratory open to the participation of PAs and their representative bodies, associations of PAs’ stakeholders, and research institutions. To pursue these objectives, the RP adopts an interpretativist approach as it is the most appropriate for enhancing the understanding of “how” SW impacts PAs’ intellectual capitals and PAs’ performance and value creation processes. The research method that will be used is primarily qualitative, i.e. case studies developed through interviews and focus groups. Afterwards, a quantitative methodology will be applied to confirm the results coming from the qualitative methodology adopted also to increase their external validity. In particular, a two steps survey will be realised. First, as a pilot, in the PAs selected as case studies, then, at the national level on a statistical representative sample stratified on the basis of size and location of PAs. The local level of PAs, specifically the municipalities, will be analysed as the governmental level is the closest to citizens, providing different kinds of public services and one of the PAs with the highest number of employees.
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Rebecca Levy Orelli
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Scienze Aziendali
Coordinator:
Università di Siena(Italy)
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 48.833,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
28/09/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
