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Information for Contributors

The NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy is devoted to public administration and public policy issues in Central and Eastern Europe. Papers based on empirical research or papers developing the theory with focus on the region are the main target for the Journal.

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Papers

Decisions about the publication of a manuscript are based on the recommendation of the editor-in-chief and an additional review process conducted by two appropriate specialists from a relevant field.

Submissions should not have been published previously and should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Papers presented at a professional conference qualify for consideration. The submission of manuscripts that have undergone substantial revision after having been presented at a professional meeting is encouraged.

Standard Components of a Policy Paper

Presentation of the Issue

What is the problem that requires action?

Scope of the Problem

What is the history and current context of the issue? How did it become an issue?
Who is affected and how severely?

Consultations

What are the views or positions of groups who will be significantly affected? What are the concerns of other ministries/agencies who will be affected?

Options for Consideration

What three or four distinct options should be considered? What are their implications? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

Additional Issues:

Consistency with the government’s priorities; the effectiveness of available options in addressing the issue; the economic cost-benefit; the effects on tax­payers; the impact on the private sector; environmental impacts; the fiscal impact on the government; the disproportionate impact on various groups or regions; the complexity and timing of implementation; public perception; and constraints raised by legal, trade, or jurisdictional issues.

Recommendation (s)

What is the proposed course of action? Why was it chosen over other possibilities?

Implementation Issues

What are the financial impacts of the proposed course of action? What are the implications for government operations? Will the proposal require regulatory or legislative changes? What is the proposed means of evaluation?

Communications Analysis

What is the current public environment? What are the key issues of contention, and how can they be addressed? What is the position of key stakeholders, both inside and outside the government, on the proposal, and what communication vehicles should be used for each? How does the proposal relate to government reform priorities? What is the objective of communication on this issue? What is the key message?

Standard Structure of a Paper

Title

The title should be a brief phrase adequately describing the content of the paper.

Abstract

An abstract is a summary of the information in a document. The abstract should not ex­ceed 250 words. It should be designed to clearly define the contents of the paper. The abstract should: (i) state the principal objectives and scope of the research; (ii) describe the methodology employed; (iii) summarise results and findings; and (iv) state the principal conclusions. References to literature, bibliographic information, figures or tables should not be included in the abstract.

Introduction

The introduction should supply sufficient background information on the topic and also provide the rationale for the present study. Suggested guidelines are as follows: (i) the introduction should first clearly present the nature and scope of the problem that was researched; (ii) it should provide an overview of the pertinent literature used; (iii) it should state the research methodology employed and, if necessary, the reasons for using a particular method; and (iv) the principal results of the investigation should be stated.

Results

This section should contain an overall description of the topic and present data gathered during the research project. The manuscript should utilise representative data rather than repetitive information. Data that will be referenced several times in the text should be provided in tables or graphs. All data, repetitive or otherwise, should be meaningful. Results must be clearly and simply stated as the section comprises innovative research findings for an international community of academics and practitioners.

Discussion

This section presents principles, relationships, and generalisations indicated by the researcher‘s findings. This should not restate information present in the results section, but should: (i) point out any exceptions or lack of correlation; (ii) define unresolved issues; (iii) show how the results and interpretations agree (or contrast) with previously published work; (iv) discuss the theoretical implications of the work, and any possible practical applications; and (v) summarise the evidence for each conclusion. The primary purpose of the discussion section is to show the relationships among facts that have been observed during the course of research. The discussion section should end with a short summary or conclusion regarding the signifi cance of the work.

Acknowledgements

Assistance received from any individual who contributed significantly to the work or to the interpretation of the work and/or outside financial assistance, such as grants, contracts, or fellowships, must be acknowledged.

References

Only significant, published references should be cited. References to unpublished data, papers in press, abstracts, theses, and other secondary materials should not be listed in the references section. If such a reference is essential, it may be added parenthetically or as a footnote in the text. Secondly, authors should verify all references against the original publication prior to submitting the manuscript. Stylistically, authors should utilise the in-text parenthetical reference system with complete references alphabetised at the end of the text.

Information about authors

Each author should include a short bio - information about her/his position, academic qualification, institution, filed of ex­pertise/research etc. An e-mail address for possible requests from readers should also be included. Maximum 500 characters.

Submission procedure

Papers shall be submitted electronically to Mr. Juraj Sklenar, the Managing Editor, in format as prescribed (web site of Manuscript guidelines). Proposals for book reviews or important scientific informations are welcomed and shall be consulted with the managing editor.

Contact:

Mr. Juraj Sklenar, the managing editor, e-mail: sklenar@nispa.org