Høgskolen i Oslo

Research Design and Methodology in Social

ScienceHarald Koht, Ph.D.

EEA ProjectPromoting the utilisation of the research potential of regional

universities for regional development

Latvijas Universitāte28 April 2010

Public administration as a reference point:

Administration and politics Budgeting and planning The role of the professional and the use

of discretion Public policy and diversity issues Efficiency, performance, accountability Public management and governance

systems

Three Central Concerns of PA

Micromanagement Motivation Measurement

Robert D. Behn (1995)

Three Big Questions How can public managers break

the micromanagement circle? How can public management

motivate people? How can public manages

measure the achievements of their agencies ― in ways that help increase these achievements?

Micromanagement Issues of trust

– Reduction of distrust between public agencies

– Reduction of distrust by the public– Decentralization and delegation of

authority Governance

– Sharing of responsibilities between politicians, civil servants, and civil society

Legality, Professionalism and Practical Ethics in Care for Older People Values and Norms in Care for Older People in Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Norway

A NOBA research project

The NOBA project concerns

The role of the professional and the use of discretion

How public managers can break the micromanagement circle

Efficiency, performance, accountability

Public management and governance systems

Preparations for writing a thesis: the proposal

Introducing the study Stating the purpose Providing a rationale Formulating the questions or

hyptotheses Providing definitions Discussing the background of the

problem Explaining your methods or procedures

The purpose of NOBA project

• Examine values and norms in decision making in the care of older people

• Explore and explain any similarities and differences regarding implementation of services

The rationale Linking to the big issues Relevant theory and previous

findings Aka. the literature review

Public ethos theory concerning the values expressed by public servants

Ethical dilemmas faced by professional care workers

The use of administrative discretion

The research design – the core of your proposal

Your research questions, propositions and hypotheses

Information about your data set Description of your methodology

Two NOBA research questions

How do legal, professional and personal norms as well as organizational vision and mission come into view in the practice of the street level bureacrats?

On what basis do the civil servants make their discretionary decisions?

Data set and methodology

A multidimensional design: Documentary data about legal

and institutional norms in each country.

Contextual data about each country and municipality

Structured and semi-structured interviews

Propositions and hypotheses

Underlying, rather than explicit:

The NOBA team expects to find significant differences between countries and local communities regarding services to older people.