Croatian and Comparative Public Administration

Foreword

Vedran Đulabić — 2026-01-16

From Legal Rules to Systemic Regulation: The Role of Feedback Loops and Holism in Modern Governance

Mirko Pečarič — 2026-01-16

The text argues that a country’s real wealth lies less in natural and physical assets, and far more in intangible assets, above all institutions and social capital. According to World Bank estimates, only about a quarter of national wealth is “tangible”; the rest is human capital, institutional quality, and trust. Therefore, reforms should first target the rule of law and the functioning of public institutions, before implementing sectoral changes such as tax or health reform. A successful state must simultaneously be strong, law-governed, and accountable, and these three strands must be kept in balance through institutional “adaptability”. Institutions are presented as structured patterns of behaviour and belief that shape preferences, constrain action, and play a central role in justice. Many social failures stem not just from “wrong policies”, but from maladapted institutions unable to cope with today’s VUCA conditions (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity). Although governance discourse has advanced (good governance, markets, international organisations), the underlying regulatory style has often remained static, producing a “hamster wheel” of ever-new but similarly designed rules. To break this cycle, the paper proposes viewing regulation itself as a system, using systems theory, cybernetics, and critical systems thinking (CST). Systems thinking focuses on interdependence, feedback loops, emergence, and homeostasis; cybernetics adds control, information, and self-regulation. Regulation should incorporate feedback, learning, and Ashby’s law of requisite variety–only complexity can manage complexity. Legal norms can be designed as adaptable mechanisms with built-in thresholds, feedback, and automatic adjustment, rather than static commands. The key research problem is how to integrate these systemic elements into inherently rigid legal frameworks without sacrificing certainty. The text sketches research questions and methods (dynamic modelling, adaptive management, scenario planning, participatory design) for making legal systems more responsive, data-driven, and resilient. Ultimately, the quality of the rule of law depends less on the values proclaimed in statutes, and more on the systemic design and operation of institutions that process information, learn from outcomes, and continuously adjust to a complex environment.

Behavioral Public Administration: Development, Scope, and Challenges

Mariza Menger — 2026-01-16

This paper presents the development of behavioral public administration as an increasingly influential interdisciplinary approach within the field of public administration. Behavioral public administration connects insights from psychology and related disciplines with public administration research to better understand the behavior of public officials and citizens in administrative processes. The paper analyzes the key concepts and methodological approaches that characterize this field, with particular emphasis on the use of experimental methods and behaviorally informed interventions such as nudges. Through four thematic areas – transparency, bureaucratism, representative bureaucracy, and participation – the paper explores how the behavioral perspective complements and transforms classical theoretical frameworks. A separate section is devoted to a critical analysis of open questions and challenges within the discipline, including issues of the normative justification of behavioral interventions, the limitations of experiments as a core method, the restricted institutional application of research findings, and questions concerning the originality and authenticity of behavioral concepts. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes the need for balanced development that integrates both theoretical reflection and empirical elaboration, and highlights the potential for further advancement of this approach within the science of public administration.

Good Governance and Trust in Village Fund: The Role of Accountability and Community Participation

Luh Komang Merawati — 2026-01-16

This study examines the role of good governance in village governments, focusing on community participation and accountability in managing village funds. Public trust has been under strain, largely due to widespread corruption, particularly in the use of village funds. Although accountability has been widely studied, its direct link to public trust remains unclear. Since the implementation of Indonesia’s Village Law (Law No. 6 of 2014), which granted greater autonomy and funding to villages, concerns have grown over the risk of corruption in the absence of strong oversight. The findings reveal a paradoxical outcome: higher levels of accountability do not necessarily enhance trust and may even reduce it. This suggests that accountability mechanisms, when perceived as procedural or symbolic, can fuel public disappointment rather than strengthen legitimacy, particularly when concerns about fund misuse remain prominent. In contrast, community participation demonstrates a consistently positive association with trust. When citizens are actively engaged in planning, decision-making, and oversight, they feel included and represented, which enhances confidence in village governments. Perceptions of corruption emerge as a key factor explaining these dynamics. Substantive accountability and genuine participation reduce corruption suspicions and, in turn, foster greater trust. Conversely, when governance practices are perceived as symbolic, they fail to dispel doubts. This study underscores that building trust requires more than compliance with formal procedures. Village governance must be transparent, responsive, and genuinely participatory. Strengthening both accountability and community involvement is essential for restoring public trust and ensuring the effective management of village funds.

Linking Governance and Public Service Delivery: The Perceived Legitimacy of the Office of Population and Civil Registration in Indonesia

Devi Yulianti — 2026-01-16

The study investigates the perceived legitimacy of the Office of Population and Civil Registration (OPCR) in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, focusing on in-migrants’ experiences with public service delivery. The research aims to identify key factors that shape these perceptions and explore how legitimacy influences trust, cooperation, and administrative efficiency within the OPCR. Drawing on McLoughlin’s framework of micro-legitimacy, the study examines the relational and normative dimensions of legitimacy, especially in the context of migration-related services. The findings reveal that in-migrants perceive the OPCR as moderately legitimate, with areas for improvement in communication, transparency, and inclusivity. The study identifies several critical components that affect legitimacy, including service characteristics, impartiality, responsiveness, and accountability. However, the research also highlights a gap between the OPCR’s operational efficiency and the clarity of its communication, which negatively impacts service perceptions. The study finds that in-migrants feel inadequately informed about services and procedures, leading to lower levels of trust and satisfaction. From a policy perspective, the study recommends that the OPCR enhance its communication strategies by providing clearer, more consistent information and integrating feedback mechanisms to foster greater accountability. It also suggests that OPCR adopt transparency and inclusivity as core principles in its service delivery framework, ensuring that all in-migrants have equal access to information and services. In conclusion, this research contributes to the broader discourse on public service legitimacy, particularly in the context of migration. It addresses gaps in existing literature in highlighting the importance of communication and relational dynamics in shaping perceptions of government legitimacy. The study’s findings offer valuable policy insights for improving service delivery and trust in public institutions, with potential applications for other regions and public service sectors.

Factors of Successful Implementation of the Balanced Scorecard Model in Public Enterprises

Amra Gadžo — 2026-01-16

The research examines the determinants influencing the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in public enterprises within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study is based on data collected from 138 respondents working in finance, accounting, and strategic management, and evaluates seven hypotheses to capture organisational, human, and economic factors that may drive or hinder adoption. Empirical results indicate that the size of the enterprise, the capabilities of professional accountants, the financial costs of using the BSC, and its demonstrated connection with operational performance significantly influence adoption decisions. Public enterprises with stronger capacities, adequate staffing, and available resources are more likely to integrate this model, and the perception of its cost-effectiveness further facilitates acceptance. Conversely, organisational culture, management awareness, and perceived benefits were not confirmed as influential factors in this sample, which may reflect the limited variability of responses rather than their actual irrelevance. Overall, the findings suggest that successful implementation of the BSC requires the alignment of financial feasibility, professional expertise, and institutional capacity. Strengthening leadership engagement and cultivating a supportive organisational culture are also identified as important conditions for long-term effectiveness. By providing evidence from the public sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this study contributes to the literature on performance management and underscores both the opportunities and challenges associated with applying the BSC.

Unexpressed Principles of Administrative Procedural Law: Fundamental Norms Beyond the Legal Text

Karlo Kožina — 2026-01-15

In this paper, the author identifies and analyses some of the unexpressed principles of administrative procedural law. These principles are not explicitly formulated in any specific regulation – that is, they do not appear in statutory texts – yet they arise from other expressed legal norms. The unexpressed principles discussed here serve as a model that may support further research on the topic, as the author establishes a methodological framework that can also be applied in future research. This theoretical and methodological framework is established primarily on Riccardo Guastini’s theory and his understanding of (unexpressed) legal principles, while also taking into account the contributions of other influential legal theorists. To reveal unexpressed principles, the author begins by analysing selected provisions of two fundamental statutes of administrative procedural law – the General Administrative Procedure Act and the Administrative Disputes Act – together with selected administrative judicial decisions. The unexpressed principles are then constructed using various argumentative techniques (such as a contrario and a fortiori) and methods of interpretation, guided by the purpose or underlying aim of each principle. The author highlights the importance of studying unexpressed principles, as they, too – despite not being explicitly stated – produce legal effects. Among the principles examined and analysed are the principle of the party’s right to be heard in administrative proceedings, the principle of material truth in administrative disputes, ne bis in idem, the prohibition of reformatio in peius, and the principle prohibiting excessive legal formalism. For each unexpressed principle, the paper outlines its key characteristics and provides a legal analysis.

Thomas Piketty: Capital and Ideology

Filip Novinc — 2026-01-16