The reference urban plan is an urban planning tool often used to orient the development of Chadian cities. However, expanding Chadian urban centers, such as Sarh, face challenges in implementing urban planning orientations of their urban plans within the set deadlines. The objective of this study is to identify the factors impeding the effective implementation of the reference urban plan for Sarh town. The methodology employed encompasses a literature review, individual interviews with urban planning experts, geographic information system (GIS) data, household surveys and statistical analysis. The results revealed that less than a quarter (19.72%) of the households surveyed were aware of the reference urban plan. The applied logistic regression model identified age, occupation and level of education as the main factors influencing public participation in the preparation of the reference urban plan. On average, 33.33% of the urban planning guidelines and 21.74% of the projected urban projects were implemented, with a difference of 1631.28 hectares (ha) between the projected plan and the actual plan for the town. Five factors were identified as contributing to the failure to implement the reference urban plan for Sarh town, including low funding, inadequate land management, a lack of political will, weak governance and poor communication. Consequently, participatory and inclusive planning approaches, effective financial mobilisation, strong governance, and the use of modern technologies such as GIS tools are recommended to enhance the implementation of urban planning tools.

Modern technologies have intensified innovations and necessitated changes in public service processes and operations. Continuous employee learning development (CELD) is one means of the molecule-atom that keep employees motivated and sustain competitiveness. The study explored the efficacy of CELD in relation to modern technology in the South African (SA) public service departments between 2014 to 2023 era. Departments are faced with challenge of equipping their employees with adequate professional and technical skills for both the present and the future in order to deliver specific government priorities. Data for the study were gathered utilizing a qualitative semi-structured e-questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 677 human capital development practitioners from national and provincial government departments in SA. The inefficacy CELD and the inadequacy of technological infrastructure and service delivery can be attributed to the failure by executive management and senior managers to invest in CELD to prepare employees for digital world. It is recommended that departments should use Ruggles’s knowledge management, Kirkpatrick’s training, and Becker and Schultz’s human capital models as sound measurement tools in order to gain a true return on investment. The study adds pragmatic insight into the value of CELD in the new technological environment in public service departments.

 Landscape architects, who guide planning and design decisions by understanding the socio-cultural expectations, functional needs, and social behaviors of the community, create ideal spaces for people by integrating natural, social, cultural, and aesthetic factors with a holistic design approach in urban public areas. Public open green spaces are important urban areas that have a positive impact on people’s physical, mental, and emotional health. In this context, the concept of personal space, its impact on individuals, and related perception studies have been examined. In landscape design, criteria that affect individuals’ personal space distances and personal space perceptions have been identified, providing a basis for sustainable landscape design projects in public open and green spaces.

The wealth of nations depends on the quality of their infrastructure. Often, however, infrastructure suffers from ineffective investments and poor maintenance. Proposed solutions, such as New Public Management or Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) tend to develop into Politicians-Private Partnerships as politicians collude with private firms to exploit present and future tax-payers. Therefore, it is necessary to give citizens better control over collective decision making. While there is a significant economic literature on empowering citizens via decentralization and direct democratic institutions, the role of electoral rules has thus far been rather neglected. An interesting case in point is Switzerland, which is well known for its high-quality infrastructure, extensive decentralization, and direct democracy. However, this paper argues that there is an additional and previously neglected institution that moves Swiss politicians away from client politics towards better serving public interest: Switzerland’s unique electoral institutions which effectively combine proportional elections with multi-seat majority elections. We explain how these institutions work, how they enhance the relationships between citizens and public and private entities, and we argue that they could be implemented in other countries.

This study explores the impact of environmental degradation on public debt in the largest Southeast Asian (ASEAN-5) countries. Prior research has not examined environmental degradation as a possible determinant of public debt in the ASEAN region. As such, the primary objective is to examine key determinants of public debt, notably economic growth, trade openness, investment, and environmental degradation. Utilizing the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) method and data from 1996 to 2021, the study reveals a negative correlation between investment and public debt. Conversely, a positive relationship exists between economic growth, environmental degradation, and public debt levels. These findings hold significant implications for policymakers seeking to craft effective economic and environmental strategies to ensure sustainable development in the ASEAN-5 region. Stronger economic growth can drive up public debt. Importantly, the study highlights the importance of tailored approaches, considering each country’s unique fiscal and developmental characteristics. Applying the Two-Gap Model enhances the understanding of these complex dynamics in shaping public debt and its relationship with environmental factors.

The Public-Private Partnerships management model (PPP) in Portugal was initially applied to the highways sector. Recently, this model began to spread to the health sector for hospital management. The recent growth of patient’s knowledge and expectations regarding the quality of healthcare services is compelling service providers to pursue new ways of delivering this care to meet users’ expectations. One wonders if the increase in patient access to knowledge may indicate a growth in health literacy, particularly regarding PPP Hospitals. This study assesses the Portuguese population’s literacy level regarding the PPP Hospital model, using a quantitative research approach based on a survey of the Portuguese population served by PPP hospitals and a Public Hospital Management (PHM) model. It was found that the Portuguese population has a low literacy concerning the PPP model, which can cause feelings of injustice. It was found that PPP users tend to have a favourable opinion regarding private involvement since they are also more satisfied compared to PMH users. These results may impact political decision-making concerning the renewal of new contracts for private management of public services.