Bureaucratic routines and error management in algorithmic systems

This article discusses how an analogy between algorithms and bureaucratic decision-making could help conceptualize error management in algorithmic systems. It argues that a view of algorithms as irreflexive bureaucratic processes is insufficient as an account of errors in complex public sector contexts, where algorithms operate jointly with other organizational work practices. To conceptualize such contexts, the article proposes that algorithms could be viewed as analogous to more traditional work routines in bureaucratic organizations. Doing so helps clarify that algorithmic irreflexivity becomes problematic when the coordination of routine work around automation fails. Thus, also the challenges of error management come to concern the wider context of organized work. This argument is illustrated using known examples from the critical literature on algorithms. Finally, drawing on recent studies in routine dynamics, the article formulates empirical research directions on error management in algorithmic systems.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: AI in the higher education

Higher education institutions face the Janus dilemma, on the one hand, universities are asked to be more open, transparent, and easily accessible, so they can be better scrutinized by the public. On the other, they need to limit transparency and guard privacy. The article explores how AI slowly but heavily penetrates the domain of the higher education institutions; it provides various applications of AI in the domain of higher education. This paper argues that AI, big data, and learning analytics can become a powerful tool for advancing higher education institutions further, but at the same time, AI can have a detrimental effect without a vigilant eye. The paper does not aim to minimize the value and virtue of AI, rather problematize the implications and promote conscious decision-making. The article aims to stimulate the discussion among the relevant stakeholders.

Ambidextrous Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence in Policing: A Conceptual Framework

This conceptual paper contributes to the literature by showing the need to understand artificialintelligence (AI) in policing outside the task-dependent environment of today. We examine AI in policing by outlining its potential opportunities and challenges in exploration for today’s policing tasks and beyond. Based on these findings, we reflect upon Holmqvist’s prior theorisation of the dynamics of organizational ambidexterity (i.e., exploitation and exploration). The paper offers future research avenues for public administration and general management researchers interested in AI.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Hidden Rules of our Society

AI explanatory research community has become vital in AI, because explanatory analysis of AI opens up and explains the operating principles of the hidden rules of AI. Explanatory AI community expounds the construction role between human-machine in AI modelling, and breaks the gap in understanding the hidden layers of AI. Instead of Alan Turning’s (1936) well-known problem of decidability (Entscheidungsproblem) the review approaches the AI hidden rules of our society from them knowledge interest (Erkenntnisinteresse) premises coined by German social theorist Jürgen Habermas (1970; 1978). This review illuminates how our contemporary society is constructed with AI models and hidden rules of artificial intelligence. It shall enlighten the Artificial Intelligence (AI) modelling complexity and illustrate AI hidden rules functionality in our society. AI explanatory research community opens field of wider discursion for socio-technological scholars, where aim is to understand AI's role in our society.

Kuntien lakisääteiset velvoitteet ja niiden laiminlyönnit tilintarkastuskertomusten perusteella

his article studies misconducts and neglects detected by auditors in Finnish municipalities in years 2017-2019. This article uses auditor’s reports to evaluate how common these misconducts and neglects are in Finland. The study is conducted by collecting all auditor’s reports in municipalities in mainland Finland from years 2017–2019 and analysing whether the auditor’s reports are unmodified or modified and if they were modified, why they were modified. This study concludes that 20 % of Finnish municipalities neglect their public economy or administration duties every year. These neglects are most common when requirements are related to the principal-agent problem in cases where the municipality should monitor their employees or electeds. These neglects and misconducts are, however, not quite severe. Severe cases were extremely rare in the reports.

Monipaikkainen asukas kuntalaisena

The effect of multilocational housing on the definition of local residence Article examines the relationship between residents and public administration from the multilocational dwelling point of view. The data consist of 25 multilocational dwellers’ interviews analyzed by content analysis. The interviewees present themselves as free-time residences, multilocational dwellers and vagabonds between municipalities. Subsequently 12 interviews of multilocational dwellers were analyzed to identify elements of multilocational citizenship. The results show that multilocational residence is produced by questioning the relevance of legal residence and participation rights. As a result, multilocational citizenship is challenging administrative monolocationality leading to a framework of multilocal citizenship.

Sivistyksen ja soten yhteistyö kunnissa

Service integration has become essential way of the production of customer friendly and cost-effective municipal services. Recently, there has been also endeavors to extend service integration from social and health sectors to the education sector. This study pursues to increase the general understanding of the expanded service integration and to develop a framework that can be used in evaluating its nature and depth. The empirical data of the study comes from a survey targeted to the leaders in the health, social and education sectors. The focus is on child and family services. While on the general level the analysis indicates a deepening integration of services, the historical boundaries between the different sectors make the service integration difficult. The managers from the health and social sectors hold a more positive view of the current situation compared to their colleagues in education, which reflects longer experience of service integration in these sectors

Alustat paikallisen hallinnan välineenä – käsitteellinen tarkastelu

The concept of platform, its connotations and relationship with local governance The aim of this article is to shed light on the relevance of platforms in urban governance. Discussion starts with a brief description of the evolution of platform discourse and a critical view of how platforms relate to governance paradigms. As the idea of platform is often associated with openness and participation, this particular dimension is elaborated as a potentially beneficial feature of platform governance. In order to concretize the picture of platforms in the given context, this article presents a typology of urban platforms based on the most common platform functions. Our discussion reveals that while platforms have a connection with classic modes of governance, they have irreducible features worth acknowledging in the theorization of public governance. The type of platform, the level of analysis and social structures are preconditions for understanding the platform logic in urban governance.

Muuttuva julkinen hallinto ja työelämäkompetenssien suuntaviivat suomalaisessa korkeakoulutuksessa

Changing public administration and guidelines for working life competencies in Finnish higher education What are the requirements of working life in the public administration in the future? What working life skills should be emphasized in national education of Public Administration? The results of the article base upon four empirical research materials: (1) a study based on anticipatory material, (2) a survey, (3) a workshop, and (4) an expert panel on working life requirements in public administration. The findings are analysed and construed with reference to international and national literature. The results emphasize change, transformation ability, networking public administration, phenomenon-based orientation, collaboration and customer orientation. Keywords: public administration education, competencies, working life skills, development

Pormestari vai virkajohtaja – miksi kunnan johtamismallin muuttamista harkitaan?

“Mayor or Manager – Why Changing the Management Model is under Discussion in Municipalities?” The aim of this study is to produce new knowledge on why municipalities consider changing their management model and what contexts and issues lead to such considerations. Based on previous research we comprise a synthesis about the factors that bring about the need for changing the management model. We use it as an analytical tool in analysing our empirical qualitative data, which consists of Finnish news articles. Our findings strengthen and complement the previous research: the changing operational environment and dissatisfaction with management and distribution of power are the key issues that bring up considerations for changing the management model. Our empirical data analysis comprehends previous research by revealing new factors, the growing demands for local politicians and practical reasons, that may lead to changes in the management model. Keywords: mayor, manager, management model, municipalities, Finland