The PADST project made a significant impact at the 45th annual Conference of the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA’23) held in Zagreb, Croatia from 5th to 8th September.
This event provided a unique platform for PADST members to showcase their project’s initial academic outputs. They actively contributed to the conference by chairing four sessions in collaboration with the Public Administration, Technology, and Innovation (PATI) and E-Governance study groups. These sessions delved into crucial topics such as Sustainability and Public Administration, Digitalization Challenges, Public Sector Innovation, and the special PADST theme of Public Administration, Sustainability, and Digital Transformation.
PADST members presented four insightful conference papers:
1. Government Capacities for Connecting the Sustainability and Digital Transitions
Presented by Prof. Albert Meijer and Erna Ruijer from Utrecht University School of Governance
This paper explores the intricate relationship between sustainability and the digital transition in government activities. It introduces a multilevel framework to understand how governments can adapt for the twin transition.
2. Dynamic Capabilities for Transformative Policies
Presented by Erkki Karo from TalTech and Rainer Kattel from UCL
Focusing on dynamic capabilities, this research investigates the requirements for governments to implement transformative policies effectively. It highlights the complexities of policy implementation within established public sector structures and underscores not only the importance of innovation, but also destabilisation.
3. Bracing Urban Governance Against Climate Crises
Presented by Dr. Peeter Vihma from TalTech and Janne Hukkinen from the University of Helsinki
This paper introduces the concept of a Policy Operations Room (POR) for strategic decision-making in the face of climate crises. It draws inspiration from high-reliability management and explores the integration of POR into urban administration.
4. Mission-oriented Public Procurement in Europe: A Systematic Literature Review
Presented by Rainer Kattel and Amy Lai from UCL IIPP, Chiara Bleckenwegner from OECD, Piret Tõnurist from OECD, and Veiko Lember from TalTech
This paper discusses the significance of mission-oriented procurement in achieving societal goals. It consolidates various procurement practices and academic discussions under this umbrella concept, based on a systematic literature review.
EGPA’23 was a remarkable platform for the PADST project to contribute valuable insights to the field of public administration, digitalization, and sustainability transitions. These contributions further underscore the importance of innovative and transformative policies in today’s complex world.
