Stasiukynas, Andrius

The concept of co-governance is understood as a way to build trust in government and to increase public involvement. It should lead to improvements of public services and solve wicked problems related to service provision. However, the idea of co-governance itself requires the sharing and devolution of decisionmaking power, which becomes challenging in relation to the public sector's role, their willingness to retain control, and at the same time – seeking to engage citizens. Although the aim of national strategies in Lithuania is to involve NGOs more actively in service provision, this can be challenging given the diverse characteristics, capacities, and expectations of stakeholders. Furthermore, municipalities are responsible for ensuring the provision of social services and are under pressure to guarantee their availability and quality. The case study of Marijampolė municipality was chosen as an example for analysis because it has one of the highest demands for social services in Lithuania and experience of transferring service provision to NGOs. In this context, this study aims to analyse the shifting boundary between the state and civil society in the context of public service provision. To achieve this aim, the following tasks have been set: 1. Examine the theoretical assumptions and changes in cooperation between the public sector and NGOs. 2. Identify the current cooperation between NGOs and the Marijampolė municipality in the field of service provision. 3. Provide scientific insights into the conditions necessary for co-governance of social services. The case study was conducted in several stages. First, the scientific literature, legal acts and other documents related to the research problem were analysed. Then, a qualitative study was conducted, including interviews and focus groups with representatives of the Marijampolė municipality and NGOs.

Constructive co-operation between municipal administrations and independ-ent public service providers, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), establishes favourable conditions for the development and dissemination of best practices in the delivery of high-quality social services. This research aimed to assess the development and effectiveness of co-operation between a municipal administration and NGOs in delivering social services, using Marijampolė municipality as a case study. A qualitative empirical approach, comprising interviews and focus group discussions, was employed. The Stakeholder Relationship Manage-ment Maturity (SRMM) model was used to evaluate the level of co-operation. The municipal-ity chosen for the present analysis is distinguished by a substantial presence of NGOs actively delivering services. The research findings indicate that, according to the SRMM model, the maturity of co-operation between municipal administrations and NGOs in providing social services is primarily at the procedural level, whereas relational aspects are evident within the process standardisation dimension. To foster mature co-operation, it is recommended that participants within the co-operation network establish a shared vision regarding the future of social service provision and the role of NGOs. The findings of the empirical research under-score the necessity for participants in a co-operation network to cultivate competencies essen-tial for sustaining and enhancing co-operation (e.g. communication and conflict resolution) and highlight the importance of establishing a unified culture of co-operation.

Paslaugų sektorius yra vienas sparčiausiai augančių ekonomikos segmentų, o jo sėkmė neatsiejama nuo žmogiškųjų išteklių. Paslaugų kokybę, kurią vartotojas (klientas) vertina pagal savo lūkesčių išpildymą, didžiąja dalimi lemia tiesiogiai su klientais dirbantys darbuotojai, todėl paslaugų vadyba neatskiriamai susijusi su žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymu – darbuotojų atranka, jų kompetencijų ugdymu, darbo sąlygų organizavimu ir t.t. Analizuojant paslaugos esmę ir savybes, paslaugos struktūros (paketo) dedamąsias ir galimas teikimo spragas, išryškėja, kad žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymo sprendimai tiesiogiai nulemia (vartotojo) kliento patirtį. Paslaugų kokybės matavimo teorijos ir praktiniai taikymo įrankiai leidžia ne tik įvertinti, bet ir nuolat gerinti darbuotojų kuriamą vertę organizacijai bei jos klientams. Taip užtikrinamas ne tik paslaugų kokybės tęstinumas, bet ir organizacijos tvari veikla. 1. Atskleisti paslaugos esmę ir apibrėžimo problematiką žmogiškųjų išteklių vadybos kontekste. 2. Supažindinti su paslaugos savybėmis, lemiančiomis paslaugų teikimo organizavimą ir darbuotojų veiklos ypatumus. 3. Pateikti žinių apie paslaugos struktūros (paketo) dedamąsias, akcentuojant darbuotojų vaidmenį jų užtikrinime. 4. Supažindinti su paslaugų kokybės matavimo teorijomis ir praktiniais taikymo aspektais, susijusiais su žmogiškųjų išteklių vadyba.

This study explores the role of non-state actors in Lithuania’s social service sector, a field shaped by demographic change, growing demand, and governance reforms. While national legislation provides opportunities for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to participate in service delivery, planning, and oversight, the practical implementation of these provisions varies across municipalities. Using document analysis and secondary statistical data, the paper compares two municipalities Marijampolė and Alytus to examine how the legal framework is applied locally. The findings show that national regulation has expanded the formal space for NGO involvement through accreditation, diversified funding, and defined provider requirements. However, municipal differences in infrastructure, administrative capacity, and policy priorities produce distinct cooperation models: Marijampolė demonstrates more established NGO engagement, while Alytus shows a gradual, incremental approach. Overall, the study reveals persistent fragmentation and uneven implementation, highlighting the need for coherent mechanisms to strengthen multi actor collaboration in social service provision.

В статье анализируется институциональное развитие и эффективность деятельности Уполномоченного по правам человека в Казахстане после реформ 2021–2022 годов. Принятие Закона и последующего Конституционного закона об Уполномоченном способствовало укреплению его статуса и приближению к международным стандартам, таким как Парижские принципы. Существенное увеличение кадрового потенциала рабочего органа Уполномоченного - Национального центра по правам человека и создание региональных представительств значительно расширили доступ граждан к правозащитным механизмам. Статистический анализ обращений за 2020–2023 годы выявил не только общий рост их количества, но и диспропорциональное увеличение жалоб на действия следственных органов, судебные решения и нарушения прав осужденных, что указывает на сохраняющиеся системные проблемы. Вместе с тем рост обращений по вопросам трудовых прав, социального обеспечения и жилищных прав в основном соответствует увеличению общего числа жалоб. В статье отмечаются сохраняющиеся институциональные ограничения, включая рекомендательный характер заключений Уполномоченного и отсутствие ответственности за несвоевременное предоставление информации органами власти. Несмотря на умеренное улучшение международных индексов прав человека и верховенства права для Казахстана, для обеспечения устойчивого прогресса требуется дальнейшее совершенствование механизмов защиты прав и повышение результативности работы Уполномоченного.

The prevailing complexity, complicated management, and communication tools have led to a situation in which cooperation between academics and practitioners has become essential for generating higher added value in science, management, and for the well-being of residents. In Marijampolė Municipality, efforts to improve social services involve greater collaboration between municipal institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). These NGOs vary in terms of size, capacity, and the scope of their activities. Consequently, the municipal administration plays a pivotal role in organizing service provision and coordinating the entire network of service providers. However, greater attention to the coordination of this process and the application of good practices from abroad would likely improve cooperation between the municipality and NGOs, which would in turn improve the quality of social services provided. In order to reveal the potential for cooperation between the Marijampolė municipality and NGOs and to have a positive impact on the south-western region of Lithuania by developing a network of social services, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) is implementing an applied research project entitled ‘Development of cooperation between the Marijampolė municipal administration and non-governmental organisations in the provision of social services (NGO4MSA)’.

Straipsnyje nagrinėjama kaip organizacijų vadybos priemonėmis valdyti organizacinį atsparumą kintančiomis neapibrėžtumo sąlygomis Lietuvos centrinės valdžios organizacijose. Darbe taikyta bounce back organizacinio atsparumo prieiga, atsparumo valdymo priemones skirstant į statinius (prieš neigiamą aplinko poveikį) ir dinaminius (po neigiamo aplinkos poveikio). Statiniai ir dinaminiai organizacinio atsparumo veiksniai papildyti informacijos ir žinių valdymo priemonėmis, remiantis kontingencijos teorijos prielaidomis, jog neapibrėžtumo sąlygos organizaciją paveikia per informacijos pakankamumą sprendimų priėmime. Ši teorinė prieiga panaudota priežastiniais ryšiais ištiriant Lietuvos centrinės valdžios organizacijų atsparumo valdymo veiksnius. Atlikus kiekybinį ranginės logistinės regresijos tyrimą, nustatyti veiksniai turintys poveikį organizacinio atsparumo valdymui: Kiekybinio tyrimo rezultatai patvirtino statistiškai reikšmingus ir teigiamus priežastinius ryšius tarp organizacinio atsparumo stiprėjimo ir 14 nepriklausomų kintamųjų iš 63 įtrauktų. Tarp išorinės aplinkos veiksnių išskirti santykiai su instituciniais partneriais bei vyriausybės narių kaitos ir veiklos prioritetų dinamika. Organizacijų statinio atsparumo priemonės teigiamai veikiančios organizacijos atsparumą yra veiklos valdymo skaitmenizavimas, daugialypė komunikacija ir informacijos panaudojimas sprendimų priėmimui. Dinaminio atsparumo priemonės didina atsparumą platesnio konteksto informacijos teikimu darbuotojams krizės atvejais, papildomi vadovų susitikimai bei vidurinės grandies vadovų vadovavimo kompetencijos. Tarp informacijos valdymo priemonių reikšmingais veiksniais tapo skaitmenizacijos, įvairių komunikacijos kanalų naudojimo ir duomenimis grįsto sprendimų priėmimo procesų stiprinimas. Žinių valdymo priemonės prisidedančios prie organizacinio atsparumo yra dalyvavimas tarptautiniuose tinkluose, žinių sklaida dokumentų bei gyvų susitikimų formatais ir sklandus vidinis žinių mainų procesas, laikantis teisinių reikalavimų. Tyrimo rezultatai atskleidžia kompleksinį organizacinio atsparumo priemonių taikymo pobūdį siekiant valdyti ir gerinti organizacijos atsparumą.

The paper analyses the trends of organizational resilience management in Lithuanian central government institutions based on the “bounce-back” concept, examining the impact on the organization from both internal and external environments and incorporating the resulting uncertainty conditions conceptualized through the prism of the organization’s available information for decision-making. The results of an empirical qualitative study in the Lithuanian public sector suggest that performance deterioration in Lithuanian central government organizations arises from both the internal and the external environment. The study reveals that the strength and the frequency of these impacts are comparably similar in each environment, affecting organizational performance with regular and unexpected factors. Regular environmental influences tend to create conditions of moderate uncertainty, where information is either known and available or there is a constant demand for new information acquisition. Unexpected environmental influences tend to create high uncertainty conditions, where there is a persistent need for information in order to make decisions, escalating to not knowing what information is needed and where it can be obtained. Experts suggest that managing resilience and decision-making under uncertainty requires organizations to invest in information processing and communication, emphasizing free information flow and live, substantive communication between managers, adjusting provided information on the situation that is limiting or expanding it. Effective knowledge management and learning processes that help organizations adapt to changing conditions are best supported by personnel who possess institutional memory, suitable digitization of management information, and active engagement in national net-working (or international networking if no national equivalent exists). Inadequate preparation for periods of negative impact disrupts the organization’s information exchange, and the learning element becomes unmanageable, especially if the negative impact situations re frequent and unforeseen, depriving the organization of the necessary time to “take a breath, look back and learn, and consolidate learning.”.