PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The term paradigm has become a central issue in philosophy of science. Increasing attention to paradigm in public administration, as a branch of social science, is also highlighted. This paper attempts to analysis seven paradigms in public administration research and to study ontological, epistemological, methodological, rhetorical and axiological assumptions of the each paradigm. Finally, we briefly offer some potential areas of public administration that can be informed by seven research paradigm.

The article considers the main aspects of the use of digital platforms as a tool for the transformation of strategic consulting in public administration. The study substantiates the feasibility of using the results of consulting activities in the implementation of strategic objectives by the executive authorities at any level of government. The ways and methods of organizing consulting activities on the basis of digital platforms for the purpose of informational and analytical support of management technologies of public administration and civil service reform analyzed. Based on the results of the study, a model of using consulting services in the public administration system was developed. The criteria of efficiency of realization project management consulting in the public sector, based on digital platforms highlighted.

The article focuses on the relevance of the implementation  of information and analytical support mechanisms in the activities of local state administrations. Information resources and information processes in general become the main prerequisites for the effectiveness of public administration and local governments. This requires public authorities to implement systems and structures of information and analytical support of government activities, new forms and technologies of information use, new technologies for its collection, processing and analysis, creation and interaction of information databases. Theoretical bases of functioning of information and analytical maintenance mechanisms of local  administrations activity are substantiated; practical offers concerning the improvement of processes of their formation and functioning in system of public administration are generalized and developed.

Conflict of Interest is a familiar phenomenon among Public Administration experts yet research wise, it has not received much attention. While government officials are accused of corruption and having Conflicts of Interest more than any other individual, research shows that only 1% of Conflict-of-Interest studies has been devoted to investigating the subject in the field of Public Administration. A Conflict of Interest occurs when an official is forced to choose between carrying out his/her administrative duties or following his/her personal interests. These interests include an individual’s financial or non-financial interests as well as the financial and non-financial interests of his/her relatives or friends. The research method of this article is based on citation analysis and drawing a citation network. The findings show that Sah, Moore, Loewenstein, and Cain are key experts in the field. The study of Cain et al (2005) is the key one that has the most relevance to other studies in this field and the study of Miller (2001) is also central which has been cited a lot. American Journal of Bioethics, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology are esteemed scientific journals that have been most benefited from publications, communications, and citations, respectively. Ethics is the concept that has been co-occurrence with the conflict of interest. This means that a conflict of interest is inherently a normative and behavioral concept. Finally, it should be noted that given the results of this research, the concept of Conflict of Interest will remain a foundation for corruption in governments and public organizations if Public Administration experts and scholars remain as inattentive to the issue as before. Research into Conflict of Interest has been mainly focused on normative and behavioral approaches which means that there is a need for new researchers taking new approaches to break out of this cycle.