scholarly journals Unmasking People’s Opinions behind Mask-Wearing during COVID-19 Pandemic—A Twitter Stance Analysis

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1995
Author(s):  
Liviu-Adrian Cotfas ◽  
Camelia Delcea ◽  
Rareș Gherai ◽  
Ioan Roxin
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
General Public ◽  
Protective Measure ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Public Places ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Perspective ◽  
Mixed Messages ◽  
One Year ◽  
The One

Wearing a mask by the general public has been a controversial issue from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as the public authorities have had mixed messages, either advising people not to wear masks if uninfected, to wear as a protective measure, to wear them only when inside a building/room with insufficient air flow or to wear them in all the public places. To date, the governments have had different policies regarding mask-wearing by the general public depending on the COVID-19 pandemic evolution. In this context, the paper analyzes the general public’s opinion regarding mask-wearing for the one-year period starting from 9 January 2020, when the first tweet regarding mask-wearing in the COVID-19 context has been posted. Classical machine learning and deep learning algorithms have been considered in analyzing the 8,795,633 tweets extracted. A random sample of 29,613 tweets has been extracted and annotated. The tweets containing news and information related to mask-wearing have been included in the neutral category, while the ones containing people’s opinions (for or against) have been marked using a symmetrical approach into in favor and against categories. Based on the analysis, it has been determined that most of the mask tweets are in the area of in favor or neutral, while a smaller percentage of tweets and retweets are in the against category. The evolution of the opinions expressed through tweets can be further monitored for extracting the public perspective on mask-wearing in times of COVID-19.

Public Procurement and Transparency in the Private Sector

2021 ◽  
pp. 176-194
Author(s):  
Tom Brown
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
General Public ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Procurement Process ◽  
The Public ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Pay Differences ◽  
United Kingdom Government

This chapter begins by considering public procurement in the context of equality duties. The United Kingdom government has not used the Equality Act 2010’s regulation-making powers to impose specific statutory public procurement equality duties in England, but the Welsh and Scottish Ministers have made such regulations. Equality considerations are nonetheless relevant considerations in a public authority’s public procurement decisions as part of the general public sector equality duty in section 149 of the Act. The extent to which equality can (and should) be taken into account in the public procurement process is also, therefore, relevant to private undertakings which might wish to tender for the provision of goods or services to public authorities. The chapter then addresses the provisions in the Act intended to improve transparency in the private sector by prohibiting clauses which prevent employees discussing their pay. The Act introduced, in section 78, a power to make regulations which would impose a requirement on businesses to report on gender pay differences.

Government secrecy: public attitudes toward information provided by the authorities

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Gunnlaugsdottir
Keyword(s):  
Public Interest ◽  
General Public ◽  
National Registry ◽  
Western World ◽  
Public Expenditures ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Government Provision

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present findings of a survey conducted during 2012 in Iceland with the intent of examining public opinion on government provision of information, i.e. whether the public felt that the authorities withheld information, either about subjects of general public interest or about public expenditures, if the authorities felt there was a reason to do so. Design/methodology/approach – A survey questionnaire was sent in March 2012 to almost two thousand Icelanders. This was a random sample selected from the National Registry. The response rate was almost 67 per cent. The survey was modelled on other research and resources that had examined trust toward public authorities and the influence of Freedom of Information Acts on government information practices. Findings – The survey discovered that the greater part of the citizenry felt that the authorities did keep important information of general public interest secret often or sometimes. Only 2-3 per cent of them believed that this never happened. Most of those surveyed felt as well that important information about public expenditures was often or sometimes withheld. Only 3-5 per cent of the respondents were of the opinion that this never happened. Practical implications – The results could be of value to public authorities that want to improve the provision of information and practice according to freedom of information act. They could also bring varied and valuable opportunities to the profession of records managers as well as others who practice information management. Originality/value – The survey adds valuable information and fulfils a need for a better understanding of what the public believes regarding government provision of information in Iceland. Although the survey is limited to Iceland, these findings may also be of value to public authorities and researchers in the Western World, Australia and New Zealand, to give a few examples where the culture and the practice of government may not be that different, as well as in other countries. The survey can lay the foundation for further research into the field.

scholarly journals MEDIATION IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING: MYTH OR REALITY NOWADAYS

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Administrative Law ◽  
Public Authority ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Acceptable Solution ◽  
The Public ◽  
Service Conception ◽  
Administrative Proceeding ◽  
State And Local ◽  
The One

In legal life of the modern world common ways of resolution to the legal disputes (conflicts) are not always efficient, since, as a rule, interests and needs of the one side and sometimes even of the both ones are left unsatisfied. Appeal to the public authorities because of each law conflict results in overloading of courts and administrative authorities. Implementation of other alternative ways of resolution of legal disputes, for example, such as mediation, can be an option to improvement of justice access and to reduction of court overloading. The article is devoted to reviewing the peculiarities of implementation of the method of mediation in administrative proceeding. It reports on attributes of administrative law conflict and also on peculiarities of conducting the procedure of mediation. Scholarly works of domestic scientists such as Sydelnikov O. D., Krasilovska Z. V., Lysko A., Mazaraki N. A. and others have been devoted to this problematique. Mediation - is a consensual and confidential procedure extrajudicial settlements of conflicts, in which a mediator helps the sides to understand their interests and search efficient ways of achieving mutually acceptable solution. The sphere of administrative disputes is the most difficult for implementation of mediation procedure. It is specified by typical peculiarities for such disputes and also by legal nature of subjects of administrative legal relationship. Exactly because of this, some scientists refer to partial nonmediability of such disputes, as one of the side in this case is always an organ of public authority. Approaching a compromise between public authority and a citizen is a prioritized direction of state and local authority activity. The procedure of mediation can be applied only in certain administrative disputes. In this case it is possible to single out advantages of implementation of the mediation procedure in dealing with administrative law conflict, they are effectiveness, saving funds and time, speed, confidentiality, unloading administrative courts, embodiment the principle of service conception of the state, the principle of the rule of law and proper management.

scholarly journals Issues in Conservation—Three Value Moments in the Public Perception of Cultural Heritage Objects in Public Spaces

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
W. (Bill) Wei ◽  
Hanneke Heerema ◽  
Rebecca Rushfeld ◽  
Ida van der Lee
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
General Public ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Public Places ◽  
The Public ◽  
Cultural Heritage Objects

Cultural heritage professionals are becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of care being taken by municipalities for their cultural heritage objects which include works of art in public places. They have therefore begun to ask the public to help take care of “their” cultural heritage through so-called public participation projects. Cultural heritage professionals tacitly assume that if they “teach” the public to treasure such objects of “their” heritage, the public will become more proactive in helping to conserve them. However, research being conducted by the authors is showing that a majority of the general public often has a completely different awareness and/or feeling about cultural heritage objects in their neighborhoods than the cultural heritage professionals think they have, or think they should have. Three recent case studies carried out by the authors show that these differences are most noticeable during so-called “value moments” at the beginning and at the perceived end of an object’s life. These are the two moments when decisions are made, usually by cultural heritage professionals, to place an object in a neighborhood or have it significantly changed or removed, often to the surprise and disagreement of the residents. Between these two moments lay many moments when an object is taken for granted, grudgingly accepted, or not even noticed. Given the fact that cultural heritage professionals often make the ultimate decisions and do not always consider or outright ignore public opinion, it should not be surprising that there is an increasingly negative public perception of what they do. The results of the case studies illustrate the need for professionals to consider and accept as valid, public feelings about cultural heritage objects in their neighborhoods.

scholarly journals The Austrian Act on the Protection against Domestic Violence

Temida ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albin Dearing
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
General Public ◽  
The State ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Impact

The past few years have seen a fundamental and broadly based change in the response to domestic violence perpetrated by men against women. The Act on Protection against Domestic Violence which entered into force on May 1st, 1997 reflects this new orientation, or rather this shift in paradigm, which has led to a new understanding of the phenomenon of domestic violence and defines appropriate response by the state by it. The impact of this shift in paradigm is considerable: not only have public authorities and private women?s institutions changed their attitudes towards domestic violence, but the general public now responds to this phenomenon in a manner that is entirely different from what it was prior to the approach. Reports on cases of violence no longer merely state the facts indifferently, but now invariably end with the question whether the authorities had been informed and whether they had taken any action to prevent the crime. Thus the public authorities have come to assume responsibility for combating domestic violence as a result of societal developments.

scholarly journals Machine Learning And Statistical Theory Enabled Real Time People Analytics Framework Based On Emotional Quotient Intelligence And Self Efficacy

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2S11) ◽  
pp. 3454-3459
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Statistical Theory ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
General Public ◽  
T Test ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Public ◽  
Common Association

The motivation behind the examination was to concentrate the connection between Emotional Intelligence (E.I.) and Self-Efficacy (S.E.) with statistic factors in the Public members in Madurai and Dindigul. This review was illustrative. The general public comprised of thousand ranges and the example was 120 who were haphazardly chosen. Enthusiastic Intelligence Inventory was utilized as an tool. Relationship, t-test and relapse were utilized to examination of information. Comes about demonstrated that there was critical connection between E.I. also, S.E emphatically. There were not discovered noteworthy contrasts amongst operational and authoritative; and prepared and untrained persons in Emotional Intelligence and Self-Efficacy. Plus, Emotional Intelligence was anticipated by statistic factors and Self-Efficacy and the other way around. Passionate Intelligence and Self-Efficacy have common association with each other.

scholarly journals La nueva política lingüística en el País Vasco Norte

2019 ◽  
pp. 403-460
Author(s):  
Eguzki URTEAGA
Keyword(s):  
Local Governance ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Public Office ◽  
The Public ◽  
Politica Publica ◽  
The One ◽  
Pais Vasco

LABURPENA: 2004ko urteak inflexio-puntua markatu zuen Ipar Euskal Herrian landu eta ondoren ezarritako hizkuntza politikan; batez ere, Hizkuntza Politikarako Obragintza Publikoa Euskararen Erakunde Publiko (EEP) bilakatzearen ondorioz. Aldaketa horrek botere publikoen borondatea erakusten du, toki-gobernamenduan eskema klasikoago batera itzultzeko —alde batetik, administrazio publikoak, eta bestetik, elkarte-eragileak, aholku-batzorde batean bilduta—, bai eta haien asmo bat ere: euskara berpiztearen aldeko politika publiko handinahiago bat aurrera eramatea. Entitate berri horrek, interes publikoko elkargoaren forma juridikoa hartu baitu, misio edo eginkizun bikoitza du: euskararen aldeko hizkuntza politika publikoa eta hitzartua asmatzea, definitzea eta obratzea; eta behar diren finantza baliabideak bermatzea, bere egitasmoan ezarri dituen ekintzak edo obralari batzuekin hitzartu dituenak gauzatzeko. Euskararen Erakunde Publikoa da bere baitan diren erakundeen aginduz euskara berpizteko politika prestatzeko ardura duena. Lan horren ondorioz, 2006an, Hizkuntza Politika Proiektu bat sortu zen, epe labur eta ertaineko orientazioak eta helburuak finkatzen zituena, hala nola, jarraitu beharreko estrategia, eta programa operatibo bat, haiek lortzeko bidea zabalduko zuena, ahaztu gabe, jakina, jarraipen-adierazle batzuk, ebaluazioa errazte aldera. Politika horri ministerioarteko ebaluazio bikoitza egin zaio, zeinak ondorio hauek atera dituen, besteak beste: Euskararen Erakunde Publikoak esku-hartzeko duen gaitasuna areagotua, Eusko Jaurlaritzarekin lankidetza indartua, aurrerapen nabarmenak hezkuntzaren bidezko euskararen transmisioan, euskarazko baliabideen hobekuntza, eta Aholku Batzordeak ez duela bere tokia aurkitu. ABSTRACT: 2004 is a turning point in the linguistic policy elaborated and thereafter implemented in northern Basque Country, particularly because of the transformation of the Direction for the Public Works into the Public Office for the Basque Language. That change gives an account of the willingness of public authorities to go back to a classic scheme in the local governance with, on the one hand, public administrations and, on the other hand, associative actors gathered at the Advisory Board, and their wish to carry out a more ambitious public policy for the revitalization of Basque. This new entity, which acts as a public interest group, is equipped with a twofold function: to design, define and initiate a linguistic policy for the Basque; and to mobilize the necessary financial resources for its implementation. The elaboration of a policy for the linguistic revitalization was commissioned by its member institutions to the Public Office for the Basque Language. This effort results, in December 2006, in the drafting of a Project for a Linguistic policy that sets out the main guidelines and objectives to be achieved in the short and medium term together with the strategy to follow and an operative program to be applied in order to attain them; without neglecting some monitoring indicators in order to facilitate assessment. This policy has undergone a double interdepartmental assessment which concludes among others the increasing of the intervention ability by the Public Office for the Basque Language, an enhanced cooperation with the Basque Government, significant advances in the transmission of Basque by means of education, an improvement in euskera resources, but also an Advisory Board which has not found its rightful place yet. RESUMEN: El año 2004 marca un punto de inflexión en la política lingüística elaborada y posteriormente implementada en el País Vasco norte, en particular como consecuencia de la transformación de la Dirección de la Obra Pública en la Oficina Pública de la Lengua Vasca (OPLV). Ese cambio da cuenta de la voluntad de los poderes públicos de volver a un esquema más clásico en la gobernanza local, con, por un lado, las administraciones públicas, y, por otro, los actores asociativos reunidos en un Comité Consultivo, y de su deseo de llevar a cabo una política pública más ambiciosa a favor de la revitalización de la lengua vasca. Esta nueva entidad, que toma la forma jurídica de una Agrupación de Interés Público, es dotada de una doble misión: concebir, definir y poner en marcha una política lingüística a favor de la lengua vasca; y, movilizar los recursos financieros necesarios a su implementación. La OPLV es encargada por las instituciones que la componen de elaborar una política de revitalización lingüística. Esa labor desemboca, en diciembre de 2006, en la confección de un Proyecto de Política Lingüística que fija las grandes orientaciones y los objetivos a alcanzar a corto y medio plazo, así como la estrategia a seguir y un programa operativo a aplicar que permita alcanzarlos; sin omitir unos indicadores de seguimiento que faciliten su evaluación. Esta política ha sido objeto de una doble evaluación interministerial, que concluye, entre otros, a un incremento de la capacidad de intervención de la OPLV, a una cooperación reforzada con el Gobierno Vasco, a unos avances significativos en la transmisión de la lengua vasca a través de la enseñanza, a una mejora en los recursos en euskera, pero también, a un Comité Consultivo que no ha conseguido encontrar su lugar.

scholarly journals La mediación en sociedades interculturales. Referencia a la posible actuación del Defensor del Pueblo en procesos de mediación = Mediation in intercultural societies. Possible Ombudsman’s action in mediation processes

2018 ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
María Pérez-Ugena Coromina
Keyword(s):  
Social Perception ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
Neutral Position ◽  
Formal Aspect ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
The One ◽  
Mediation Processes

Resumen: El objeto de este trabajo es una reflexión acerca de los conflictos que surgen en sociedades interculturales como consecuencia de marcos más plurales, acompañada de una propuesta de cauces de solución. Nos planteamos la conveniencia de utilizar mecanismos extrajudiciales de resolución de conflictos, en particular la mediación, como medio especialmente adecuado para este tipo de controversias. La integración en sociedades plurales exige un esfuerzo y toma de postura por el Estado. Los poderes públicos deben implicarse en lograr un mayor grado de convivencia democrática, incidiendo en el aspecto real y no formal de la libertad y la igualdad, de manera coherente con la concepción social del Estado. El Defensor del Pueblo es una figura idónea para poder actuar como mediador en conflictos propios de la interculturalidad. Su contacto con los problemas sociales, de una parte, y su posición neutral, basada en la auctoritas, de otra, le atribuyen unas características muy interesantes para que pueda ejercer esta función. Asumiría así el Estado este papel a través de la institución que resulta más cercana a la ciudadanía. Esto, a su vez, podría revertir en una mejora de la percepción social del Defensor del Pueblo.Palabras clave: Interculturalismo, mediación, Defensor del Pueblo.Abstract: The purpose of this work is a reflection on the conflicts that arise in intercultural societies as a consequence of more plural frameworks, accompanied by a proposal of channels of solution. We consider the convenience of using extrajudicial mechanisms for resolving conflicts, particularly mediation, as a particularly appropriate means for this type of dispute. The integration in plural societies requires an effort and takes position by the State. The public authorities must be involved in achieving a greater degree of democratic coexistence, focusing on the real and non-formal aspect of freedom and equality, in a manner consistent with the social conception of the State. The Ombudsman is an ideal figure to be able to act as mediator in conflicts of interculturality. His contact with social problems, on the one hand, and his neutral position, based on the auctoritas, on the other, attribute him some very interesting characteristics so that he can exercise this function. The State would assume this role through the institution that is closest to citizenship. This, in turn, could lead to an improvement in the social perception of the Ombudsman.Keywords: Interculturalism, mediation, Ombudsman. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitation in Online Consumers: Social Media Textual Analysis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Leah Sussman ◽  
Lindsay Marie Bouchacourt ◽  
Laura Frances Bright ◽  
Gary Burl Wilcox ◽  
Michael Mackert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
The Public ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
One Year ◽  
The One ◽  
Negative Sentiment

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic continues to greatly impact the global community as we recently marked the one-year anniversary of the first cases of the disease. While many strides have been made in the medical community to produce several viable vaccines, much hesitancy exists within the public regarding the efficacy of the vaccines as well as their potential side effects. OBJECTIVE This study examines the public response to the COVID-19 vaccine by analyzing social media mentions of hesitancy. METHODS Brandwatch software was used to capture social mentions regarding vaccine hesitancy between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 before undergoing a text analytic process using SAS text-mining software. Eight unique topics were identified before being further analyzed for themes in positive and negative sentiment. RESULTS The data indicate that there is mistrust and hesitancy surrounding the vaccines; however, positive themes also emerged surrounding the sources of the information (health care professionals, doctors, and government organizations). Pfizer was found to elicit both positive and negative emotions regarding their involvement with vaccine production. Overall, the negative sentiment surrounding the vaccines tended to dominate the social media conversation. CONCLUSIONS Through the use of credible communicators, COVID-19 vaccine hesitation may be mitigated. A combination of online and offline word-of-mouth strategies are suggested to reach relevant populations of interest. Topics of personal anecdotes of safety, effectiveness and recommendations among family are suggested as communication opportunities for frontline health care workers.

scholarly journals Good governance and transparency

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-353
Author(s):  
Laura Vilone ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Action ◽  
Special Place ◽  
The One

The notion of “good governance” implies the special place given to the State. Such a model is defined by the effectiveness of certain guarantees such as the independence of the judiciary, the correct and fair management of expenditure but also administrative transparency. Indeed, the latter depends on the sincerity of those involved in public action, on the one hand, and the constant dialogue between the public authorities and the public, on the other hand. The purpose of this intervention is to demonstrate that the realisation of the model of “good governance” is based, above all, on the existence of an administration that fully understands the requirements of administrative transparency. The two pillars of “good governance” would thus be the foundations of the principle of transparency: communication with citizens and their participation in the process of the decision-making process.

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