Abstract
Brief description of the project The ALMADIA research project explores street-level bureaucracy (SLB), a concept introduced by Michael Lipsky (1980) that examines how frontline public service workers influence policy outcomes through their discretionary decisions. The study focuses on Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) within Public Employment Services (PES) in Italy. Objectives and results that the project aims to achieve The project aims at unpacking the black box of the complex process of policy implementation, taking seriously the role of SLBs and their use of discretion with a bottom-up approach. This is a policy-oriented and policy relevant project. It investigates how the discretionary space is activated, valued or denied by both organizations and workers operating at the street level in Public Employment Services (PES), adopting a multi-level perspective. In order to achieve the aim of unpacking the policy implementation process, the project has three main goals and results: Describe SLB Discretion: Through an online survey (CAWI) targeting a representative sample of Italian PES, the project identifies and categorizes how frontline workers use discretion. It develops a set of indicators to quantify these practices and enable generalizable insights across contexts. Analyze Work Conditions and Practices: The survey data will form a database to examine the daily tasks, working conditions, and user interactions of PES workers, focusing on how they adapt formal rules to real-life situations. Develop a Comparative Research Model: In collaboration with an International Advisory Committee, the project will co-design a replicable model for international research. This includes refining the indicators and tools for use in different countries, laying the groundwork for a broader European research initiative.
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Roberto Rizza
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche e Sociali
Coordinator:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Total Eu Contribution: Euro (EUR) 197.188,00
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 80.948,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
15/10/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
