This research study examines the impact of the Dutch Work and Security Act (WWZ) on job quality in the Netherlands, specifically focusing on earnings, job security, and working conditions. Using a...Show moreThis research study examines the impact of the Dutch Work and Security Act (WWZ) on job quality in the Netherlands, specifically focusing on earnings, job security, and working conditions. Using a Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach, the study compares the effects of the WWZ between two groups: employees with temporary contracts (treatment group) and employees with permanent contracts (control group). The Longitudinal Internet Studies for Social Sciences (LISS) dataset from 2013 to 2019 is utilized for the analysis. The results indicate that the WWZ has a significant positive effect on job security and working conditions, supporting the hypotheses. However, satisfaction with income is not significantly affected by the WWZ, contrary to expectations. When considering different sectors, the effects of the WWZ on job quality are not significant overall, except for a significant positive effect on job security in the commercial service sector. This finding suggests that there may be additional factors influencing job quality in different sectors, warranting further investigation. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the outcomes and consequences of the WWZ in terms of job quality for temporary employees in the Netherlands.Show less
The behavioral theory of the firm lacks a comprehensive understanding of issue prioritization, particularly when multiple issues are performing below aspiration levels, or resources are limited....Show moreThe behavioral theory of the firm lacks a comprehensive understanding of issue prioritization, particularly when multiple issues are performing below aspiration levels, or resources are limited. This study investigates the prioritization of eGovernment initiatives, considering budget constraints and the emphasis on historical versus social aspiration levels. Two theoretical expectations were developed: 1) the prioritization of historical versus social aspiration levels, and 2) the prioritization of eGovernment initiatives under budget constraints. Semi-structured interviews with 9 public officials from the Directorate-General for Economic Activities in Portugal were conducted to assess the expectations. The thematic analysis revealed that public officials do not change the priorities of eGovernment initiatives based on budget constraints and predominantly prioritize social aspirations over historical ones. This study highlights the importance of pragmatism driven by necessity alongside creativity. The findings have implications for issue prioritization, performance feedback, cutback management, and public administration literature in general. Future research should expand the study to include coercive aspiration levels, less salient issues, different countries, and different public organizations. Additionally, preferences and public sector motivation can be included as moderators, and employing a mixed-methods approach could be beneficial.Show less
This research attempts to fill the gap in the literature regarding voting behavior in the Justice and Home Affairs configuration of the Council of the European Union. The results from fixed effect...Show moreThis research attempts to fill the gap in the literature regarding voting behavior in the Justice and Home Affairs configuration of the Council of the European Union. The results from fixed effect logistic regressions of various models are that the state of the national budget was the most important factor in explaining voting behavior in this configuration. While there are a multitude of research limitations that limit the generability of these results, it does provide a solid starting point for further research.Show less
The contemporary Russian invasion of Ukraine requires a reassessment of the European Union’s foreign policy tools as the threat of war has not been so high in recent history. As the EU’s sanction...Show moreThe contemporary Russian invasion of Ukraine requires a reassessment of the European Union’s foreign policy tools as the threat of war has not been so high in recent history. As the EU’s sanction regime is one of the most important tools for the union outside influence on that is important to be evaluated. For that Kingdon’s stream model is used, together with policy advisory systems theory, to analyse the influence of think tanks in the European Unions sanction regime. In this combined model a most similar system’s design is applied to analyse the influence of think tanks in similar cases. A relation is found between think tank publications and the implementation of sanctions, from which is inferred that the influence of think tanks is primarily in the political stream. Consequently, as the political stream is influenced that is the weakest spot of the EU’s sanction regime. As the EU consists of democratic states this is not a major issue because within the members states the decision-makers are held accountable. Moreover, the members of the European parliament are also held accountable so there are two manners that compensate this weakness.Show less
This thesis studies the effect of the ‘Besluit passende arbeid WW en ZW’ on alcohol and tobacco use of the unemployed who were treated by this reform. It is expected that the unemployed will...Show moreThis thesis studies the effect of the ‘Besluit passende arbeid WW en ZW’ on alcohol and tobacco use of the unemployed who were treated by this reform. It is expected that the unemployed will increase their alcohol and tobacco use due to the increased stress caused by the reform. The study uses a difference-in-difference with fixed effects to estimate the causal effect. The results show that there is an overall higher chance of suffering from stress and that the treated female unemployed have a higher chance of smoking. The results do not indicate an effect on men or alcohol consumption. All in all, there are some indications that the reforms leads to smoking but further research is necessary.Show less
Recent crises have brought asylum-migration to the forefront of political debate in Europe. There has been significant discourse in academic and policymaking spheres concerning migratory pull...Show moreRecent crises have brought asylum-migration to the forefront of political debate in Europe. There has been significant discourse in academic and policymaking spheres concerning migratory pull factors; in particular whether prospective socio-economic entitlements in destination countries are determinants of asylum applicants’ destination choice. Employment rights feature prominently in these discourses, yet few studies directly examine the relationship between labour market access and asylum inflows. This paper exploits Ireland’s transposition of the Recast Reception Conditions Directive in 2018, which ended a comprehensive ban on asylum applicants’ access to the labour market, in order to study the effects of labour market access on the magnitude and demographic composition of asylum applications. Using difference in difference and regression discontinuity methodologies, this paper finds that the labour market access reform caused an increase in the number of asylum applications and in the proportion of working-age applicants in Ireland. These findings contribute to a small body of quasi-experimental literature on the determinants of asylum inflows to destination countries.Show less
The increasing fiscal constraints and concerns about the sustainability of the welfare state for future generations puts pressure on governments worldwide to implement retrenchment measures in...Show moreThe increasing fiscal constraints and concerns about the sustainability of the welfare state for future generations puts pressure on governments worldwide to implement retrenchment measures in social policy according to neoliberal ideas. In the Netherlands, the introduction of the Participation Act on January 1, 2015, drastically decentralized government powers with the dual objectives of delivering effective customization for vulnerable groups of welfare recipients and cost savings. This shift reflects a global trend in which governments reduce the welfare state and focus more on active citizen participation in society. Therefore, the central question that arises is how such significant changes in the social security system, combined with austerity measures, effectively reduce inequality in society. By employing a Difference-in-Differences analysis of data from the Dutch Household Survey (DHS), the effects of the Participation Act on employment and income inequality over the period 2010-2022 is examined. Based on statistically significant results, the hypothesis that over this period, the Participation Act failed to improve both the number of employed individuals and the actual hours worked among the target group compared to the general workforce is rejected. The research identifies a worrisome trend in increased inequalities concerning employment in society. However, the results support the expectation that the Participation Act has not been effective in improving income inequalities for the target group compared to non-welfare recipients. The study also reveals concerning outcomes for the income development of the Participation Act’s target group, which is on the brink of poverty and has no prospect of an improved situation. Thus, it is concluded that the Participation Act has not had a positive effect on reducing employment and income inequality among welfare recipients. Furthermore, recommendations are made for future reforms and further research on the relationship between the welfare state and social inequality.Show less
The Dutch government is aiming at a smoke-free generation in 2040 by implementing new policies. The smoking rate is not decreasing enough to reach this target. This study looks at the association...Show moreThe Dutch government is aiming at a smoke-free generation in 2040 by implementing new policies. The smoking rate is not decreasing enough to reach this target. This study looks at the association between smoking behavior and life satisfaction to find ways to influence smokers to quit. This study aims to assess what the association is between life satisfaction and smoking behavior in the Netherlands. It will also look into the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on smoking behavior and the effect that age has on the relationship between life satisfaction and smoking behavior. Data from the LISS-panel is used to conduct a fixed effects regression analysis. The results show that there is no significant association between life satisfaction and smoking behavior in any of the cases. This is contradictory to past research, which all found a significant negative association. The only significant associations are between the control variables anxiety and exercise, and smoking behavior. Both have a negative association with smoking behavior. The effect of exercise on smoking behavior is the strongest for people aged 65 and older. Based on these results, the policy recommendation is to stimulate exercise, which can lead to a healthier lifestyle and reduce the number of cigarettes people smoke.Show less
Dit onderzoek gaat over de opkomende digitale trend de Digital Twin en of burgers denken dat het de informatie-asymmetrie kan verkleinen. De hoofdvraag van dit onderzoek is: Kan een Digital Twin...Show moreDit onderzoek gaat over de opkomende digitale trend de Digital Twin en of burgers denken dat het de informatie-asymmetrie kan verkleinen. De hoofdvraag van dit onderzoek is: Kan een Digital Twin vanuit het burgerperspectief bijdragen aan het verkleinen van een informatie-asymmetrie tussen coproducerende burgers en overheidsprofessionals? Over de informatie-asymmetrie en Digital Twins is niet zo veel bekend. Op basis van literatuuronderzoek en acht vignette-interviews is de conclusie dat een Digital Twin zeker een een geschikt middel zijn om de informatie-asymmetrie tussen burger en overheid te verkleinen. De asymmetrie zit in de proces- en vakkennis tussen zowel burgers onderling als de overheid en de burger. Dit creëert ongewenste verschillen. Een Digital Twin kan een rol spelen om die asymmetrie te verkleinen. Ondanks de ondersteuning van een Digital Twin zal tussen overheid en burger altijd een vorm van informatie-asymmetrie aanwezig blijven. Het toevoegen van verschillende informatieniveaus is een oplossing om de verschillende doelgroepen tussen de burgers beter te bereiken.Show less
De opkomst van protesten, demonstraties en proteststemmen in Europa als gevolg van groeiende onvrede, wantrouwen en een gevoel niet gehoord te woorden door ‘de politieke’ en/of ‘de overheid’ raken...Show moreDe opkomst van protesten, demonstraties en proteststemmen in Europa als gevolg van groeiende onvrede, wantrouwen en een gevoel niet gehoord te woorden door ‘de politieke’ en/of ‘de overheid’ raken aan het fundament waar democratie als politiek- bestuurlijk systeem op is gebaseerd. Een democratie bestaat immers in ieder geval uit volkssoevereiniteit en meerderheidsheerschappij. Responsiviteit maakt hier een essentieel onderdeel van uit aangezien dit gaat over de mate waarin het handelen van de overheid, zoals vastgelegd in beleid en wet-en regelgeving, in overeenstemming is met de wil van het volk. Hoewel er veel onderzoek bestaat naar (overheids)responsiviteit en diens werking aan de ene kant en onderzoek naar politieke partijen en diens (electorale) werking aan de andere kant, is er geen recent en gedegen onderzoek dat deze twee min of meer gescheiden onderzoekvelden in de Europese context combineert. Dit onderzoek kijkt daarom als een van de eerste, aan de hand van een grote steekproef van Europese landen en een focus op herverdeling als concreet beleidsissue, naar de (mediërende) rol die politieke partijen spelen in de link tussen publieke opinie en (overheids)beleid via de centrale onderzoeksvraag: wat is het effect van voorkeuren van burgers ten aanzien van herverdeling op het daadwerkelijk gevoerde beleid van nationale overheden ten aanzien van herverdeling en in welke mate verloopt dit effect via de standpunten van politieke partijen ten aanzien van herverdeling? Door middel van Granger causaliteit in SPSS wordt een unieke dataset, bestaande uit data van de ESS, CHES, OECD en WDI, geanalyseerd. Uit het onderzoek blijkt, tegen de verwachtingen in, dat de voorkeur van burgers ten aanzien van herverdeling geen effect heeft op het daadwerkelijk gevoerde beleid van nationale overheden ten aanzien van herverdeling en dat dit effect niet verloopt via de stadpunten van politieke partijen ten aanzien van herverdeling. Deze onverwachte uitkomst roepen veel vragen op die het uitgangspunt zouden kunnen zijn voor toekomstig onderzoek.Show less
Na deze introductie volgt in het tweede hoofdstuk het theoretisch kader. Hierin wordt dieper ingegaan op de representatieve bureaucratie en de evolutie hiervan, de concepten van passieve en actieve...Show moreNa deze introductie volgt in het tweede hoofdstuk het theoretisch kader. Hierin wordt dieper ingegaan op de representatieve bureaucratie en de evolutie hiervan, de concepten van passieve en actieve vertegenwoordiging, en de recente inzichten rondom diversiteitsbeleid binnen het openbaar bestuur. Het derde hoofdstuk richt zich op het conceptueel model en de operationalisatie van de variabelen. Hierin wordt nader ingegaan op de specifieke aspecten van etniciteit en de invloed die dit heeft op beleidsontwikkeling. Het conceptueel model geeft een helder kader voor het begrijpen van de onderlinge relaties tussen deze variabelen, terwijl de operationalisatie concrete meetinstrumenten identificeert. Het vierde hoofdstuk behandelt de methodologie van het onderzoek. Hier worden de onderzoeksopzet, dataverzamelingsmethoden en analysetechnieken uitvoerig beschreven. Een zorgvuldige methodologie is essentieel om valide en betrouwbare conclusies te kunnen trekken. In het vijfde hoofdstuk worden de resultaten van de analyse gepresenteerd en geïnterpreteerd. Dit biedt inzicht in de gevonden verbanden en eventuele patronen die naar voren komen uit de verzamelde data. De conclusie, als laatste hoofdstuk, vat de belangrijkste bevindingen samen, beantwoordt de onderzoeksvraag en evalueert de hypotheses. Hierbij worden ook de beperkingen van het onderzoek besproken en suggesties gedaan voor toekomstig onderzoek. Tot slot worden de praktische implicaties van de resultaten voor beleidsmakers en praktijkmensen belicht.Show less
