Open government ideologies in post-soviet countries

Most research in research areas like e-government, e-participation and open government assumes a democratic norm. The open government (OG) concept is commonly based on a general liberal and deliberative ideology emphasising transparency, access, participation and collaboration, but were also innovation and accountability are promoted. In this paper, we outline a terminology and suggest a method for how to investigate the concept more systematically in different policy documents, with a special emphasis on post-soviet countries. The result shows that the main focus in this regions OG policy documents is on freedom of information and accountability, and to a lesser extent on collaboration, while other aspects, such as diversity and innovation, are more rarely mentioned, if at all

Encryption’s Importance to Economic and Infrastructure Security

Det övergripande syftet med den här avhandlingen var att utreda om network coopetition, samarbete mellan konkurrerande aktörer, kan öka värdeskapandet inom hälso- och sjukvården. Inom hälso- och sjukvården är network coopetition ett ämne som fått liten uppmärksamhet i tidigare studier. För att besvara syftet utvecklades en modell för network coopetition inom hälso- och sjukvården. Modellen applicerades sedan på en del av vårdkedjan för patienter i behov av neurokirurgisk vård. Resultaten från avhandlingen visar att: (1) Förutsättningarna för network coopetition i vårdkedjan för patienter i behov av neurokirurgisk vård är uppfyllda. (2) Det finns exempel på horisontell network coopetition i den studerade vårdkedjan. (3) Det existerar en diskrepans mellan hur aktörerna  ser  på  sitt  eget  och  de  andra  aktörernas  värdeskapande. (4)  Värdeskapandet bör utvärderas som ett gemensamt system där hänsyn tas till alla aktörer och utvärderas på process- nivå där hänsyn tas till alla intressenter. Dessa resultat leder fram till den övergripande slutsatsen är att network coopetition bör kunna öka värdeskapandet för högspecialiserade vårdkedjor med en stor andel inomlänspatienter.The overall purpose of this thesis was to investigate whether network coopetition, cooperation between competitive actors, can increase the value creation within the health care system. Within health care, network coopetition is a subject granted little attention in previous research. To fulfil the purpose a model for network coopetition within the health care system was developed. The model was the applied to one part of the chain of care for patients in need of neurosurgery. The results from this thesis show: (1) The conditions for network coopetition in the chain of care for patients in need of neurosurgery are fulfilled. (2) Examples of horizontal network coopetition have been found in the studied chain of care. (3) There is an existing discrepancy between how each actor recognizes its own and the other actors’ value creation. (4) The value creation ought to be evaluated as a common system where all actors are taken into account and at a process level where all stakeholders are considered. These results supports the final conclusion that network coopetition ought to be able to increase the value creation for highly specialized chain of cares with a large share of within-county patients

Study of Fundamental Rights Limitations for Online Enforcement through Self-Regulation

The use of self-regulatory or privatized enforcement measures in the online environment can give rise to various legal issues that affect the fundamental rights of internet users. First, privatized enforcement by internet services, without state involvement, can interfere with the effective exercise of fundamental rights by internet users. Such interference may, on occasion, be disproportionate, but there are legal complexities involved in determining the precise circumstances in which this is the case. This is because, for instance, the private entities can themselves claim protection under the fundamental rights framework (e.g. the protection of property and the freedom to conduct business). Second, the role of public authorities in the development of self-regulation in view of certain public policy objectives can become problematic, but has to be carefully assessed. The fundamental rights framework puts limitations on government regulation that interferes with fundamental rights. Essentially, such limitations involve the (negative) obligation for States not to interfere with fundamental rights. Interferences have to be prescribed by law, pursue a legitimate aim and be necessary in a democratic society. At the same time, however, States are also under the (positive) obligation to take active measures in order to ensure the effective exercise of fundamental rights. In other words, States must do more than simply refrain from interference. These positive obligations are of specific interest in the context of private ordering impact on fundamental rights, but tend to be abstract and hard to operationalize in specific legal constellations. This study’s central research question is: What legal limitations follow from the fundamental rights framework for self-regulation and privatized enforcement online? It examines the circumstances in which State responsibility can be engaged as a result of selfregulation or privatized enforcement online. Part I of the study provides an overview and analysis of the relevant elements in the European and international fundamental rights framework that place limitations on privatized enforcement. Part II gives an assessment of specific instances of self-regulation or other instances of privatized enforcement in light of these elements

Crown Servants and Unauthorised Disclosures: Whistleblowing, Executive Accountability and the Public Interest

The unauthorised disclosure of official information has caused embarrassment to successive governments regardless of political affiliation. At times, the disclosure of highly important documents pertaining to national security has reportedly caused immeasurable harm to the defence of the realm and damaged international cooperation. The protection of national security may however be used as a shield behind which malpractice can occur. Use of the Official Secrets Acts to prosecute Crown Servants for the unauthorised disclosure of information damaging to the reputation of government has proved controversial. Crown servants operate in an environment whereby a relationship of trust and loyalty is paramount to the running of government in a democratic society. Crown servants, however, remain in a unique position to witness acts of malpractice or maladministration. When other checks and balances fail, the Crown servant is faced with the unenviable prospect of allowing the malpractice to continue or to blow the whistle. This thesis provides an assessment of the existing officially prescribed mechanisms for Crown servants to blow the whistle and the position of the Crown servant as a journalistic source. It considers Crown servants in the Civil Service and is extended to provide two distinct case studies of servants in the UK intelligence community and members of the UK armed forces. This thesis critically evaluates the available whistleblower procedures alongside the current mechanisms used to hold the government and its departments to account, concluding that there are significant gaps in the current processes. Comparative analysis of other jurisdictions is used to bolster understanding with the objective of providing a number of key recommendations to provide strong, viable, alternatives to unauthorised disclosures

Migration, Mobility and Human Rights at the Eastern Border of the European Union - Space of Freedom and Security

This edited collection of migration papers would like to emphasise the acute need for migration related study and research in Romania. At this time, migration and mobility are studied as minor subjects in Economics, Sociology, Political Sciences and European Studies only (mostly at post-graduate level). We consider that Romanian universities need more ‘migration studies’, while research should cover migration as a whole, migration and mobility being analysed from different points of view – social, economical, legal etc. Romania is part of the European Migration Space not only as a source of labourers for the European labour market, but also as source of quality research for the European scientific arena. Even a country located at the eastern border of the European Union, we consider Romania as part of the European area of freedom, security and justice, and therefore interested in solving correctly all challenges incurred by the complex phenomena of migration and workers’ mobility at the European level. The waves of illegal immigrants arriving continuously on the Spanish, Italian and Maltese shores, and the workers’ flows from the new Member States from Central and Eastern Europe following the 2004 accession, forced the EU officials and the whole Europe to open the debate on the economical and mostly social consequences of labour mobility. This study volume is our contribution to this important scientific debate. Starting with the spring of 2005, the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence and the School of High Comparative European Studies (SISEC), both within the West University of Timisoara, have proposed a series of events in order to raise the awareness of the Romanian scientific environment on this very sensitive issues: migration and mobility in the widen European Space. An annual international event to celebrate 9 May - The Europe Day was already a tradition for SISEC (an academic formula launched back in 1995 in order to prepare national experts in European affairs, offering academic post-graduate degrees in High European Studies). With the financial support from the Jean Monnet Programme (DG Education and Culture, European Commission), a first migration panel was organised in the framework of the international colloquium ‘Romania and the European Union in 2007’ held in Timisoara between 6 and 7 of May 2005 (panel Migration, Asylum and Human Rights at the Eastern Border of the European Union). Having in mind the positive welcoming of the migration related subjects during the 2005 colloquium, a second event was organised on 5 May 2006 in the framework of the European Year of Workers’ Mobility: the international colloquium Migration and Mobility: Assets and Challenges for the Enlargement of the European Union. In the same period, the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence, SISEC and The British Council in Bucharest have jointly edited two special issues of The Romanian Journal of European Studies, no.4/2005 and 5-6/2006, both dedicated to migration and mobility. Preliminary versions of many of the chapters of this volume were presented at the above mentioned international events. The papers were chosen according to their scientific quality, after an anonymously peer-review selection. The authors debate both theoretical issues and practical results of their research. They are renowned experts at international level, members of the academia, PhD students or experienced practitioners involved in the management of the migration flows at the governmental level. This volume was financed by the Jean Monnet Programme of the Directorate General Education and Culture, European Commission, throughout the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence (C03/0110) within the West University of Timisoara, Romania, and is dedicated to the European Year of Workers’ Mobility 2006. Timisoara, December 200