Editorial: New public policy study models, corruption scandal, disaster risk management, election money politics, strategy maps and impacts on policy outcomes Open Access

This second issue of 2025 features nine interdisciplinary articles spanning public policy, governance, and social sciences. Contributions include: public policy education reforms advocating pluralist epistemology; cross-national analysis of corruption’s impact on public value creation; moral panic and political scandal dynamics following Abe Shinzō’s assassination in Japan; motivational drivers behind pro-environmental philanthropy and activism in Poland; disaster risk management effectiveness in Metro Manila, Philippines; bureaucratic capacity as a catalyst for Bangladesh’s socio-economic progress; Gen Z voter behavior and money politics in Indonesia’s 2024 election; Strategy Map applications for Industrial Revolution 4.0 readiness in Indonesian high schools; and a practitioner-informed framework for operationalizing Made in Africa Evaluation (MAE) through Uganda’s peer review mechanism. Collectively, these studies advance empirical and theoretical debates —from developmental governance and environmental psychology to educational leadership and evaluation methodologies — while offering policy-relevant insights for global and regional contexts.

The following provides a concise overview of the key themes and contributions of these nine articles.

The first article is “Leveraging pluralist epistemology to advance public policy studies at the university level” by Gilbert Michaud. It proposes a ​pluralist epistemology​ for public policy education, challenging the traditional perspectives of economics, ethics, and politics that has long dominated curricula. Through a ​theory-building literature review, it demonstrates how integrating more perspectives — post-structural analysis, psychoanalytic theory, and other critical frameworks — can significantly enhance disciplinary cognition and policymaking effectiveness. The study not only maps these complementary approaches but also provides ​practical pedagogical strategies​ for universities to redesign programs, emphasizing the cultivation of adaptable, innovative public service leaders. By adopting this ​new model, institutions can better prepare students to navigate complex, real-world policy challenges while fostering more ethical and virtuous decision-making. This article contributes by bridging a critical gap between theoretical pluralism and classroom implementation, offering a structured yet flexible framework for policy schools to operationalize this paradigm shift. Its recommendations respond directly to the growing demand for ​21st-century policy education​ that prioritizes interdisciplinary thinking, cognitive diversity, and transformative learning outcomes in an increasingly dynamic governance landscape.

The second article on “Impact of corruption on public value creation: does national developmental and technological level matter?” by M. Azhar Hussain, Syed Awais Tipu, Abu Elias Sarker examines the relationship between ​corruption​ and ​public value creation (PVC)​​ across 187 countries, while investigating how national developmental and technological levels moderate this interaction. Using ​national level data​ from UN agencies, the research confirms a ​strong negative correlation​ between corruption and PVC, demonstrating that corruption significantly undermines societal value creation. The analysis reveals that this detrimental effect is ​amplified in less developed and technologically disadvantaged nations, where institutional weaknesses exacerbate corruption’s impact. This article contributes theoretical insights​ by systematically linking corruption to PVC, while addressing a critical empirical gap regarding contextual moderators. By highlighting how developmental disparities intensify corruption’s consequences, the findings offer policymakers ​evidence-based guidance​ for prioritizing anti-corruption measures in vulnerable settings. The study underscores the urgency of ​tailored governance reforms​ in low-income and technologically lagging countries to mitigate corruption’s disproportionate harm to public welfare. It advances both academic discourse and practical policy solutions by quantifying corruption’s contextualized impact on societal well-being.

The third article is “Moral panic and scandal after the Abe assassination in Japan” by Matthew M. Carlson. The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe​ in 2022 ignited unprecedented public scrutiny of the ​Unification Church​ (UC), marking Japan’s most significant religion-related moral panic since the 1995 Aum Shinrikyō attacks. This study employs ​moral panic and scandal frameworks​ to analyze the explosive backlash against UC ties to politicians, particularly Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), revealing how media exposure of UC-linked financial exploitation (e.g., the suspect’s mother’s bankruptcy) and covert political transactions fueled public outrage. Grassroots movements and opposition elites amplified demands for transparency, forcing LDP members to sever UC connections and triggering cabinet resignations. The scandal eroded support for Prime Minister Kishida’s government and spurred legislative reforms to regulate religious groups’ political influence. By linking Abe’s murder to systemic violations of Japan’s constitutional separation of religion and politics, the article offers critical insights into how ​media-driven scandals​ can catalyze legal and societal change, providing a model for analyzing religion-politics entanglements in other contexts. Its interdisciplinary approach bridges gaps in understanding moral panic dynamics and elite accountability in democratic systems.

The fourth article is “A study of the individuals’ pro-environmental philanthropic and activist intentions and self-determined motivations in Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot in Poland” by Iwona Nowakowska, Ewa Duda, and Michał Szulawski. This study explores ​motivational differences​ among individuals engaging in ​pro-environmental behaviors​ through a survey​ of 3,000 adults in Poland, assessing intentions for philanthropic (e.g., donations) and activist (e.g., protests) actions at local and global levels. Using ​self-determination theory​ and cluster analysis, three distinct groups emerged: (1) ​the Uninterested, with low intentions to engage in activities; (2) ​the Philanthropists, inclined toward donating to local and global causes; and (3) the Protesters, favoring protests and global petitions. While the ​Philanthropists​ and ​Protesters​ shared similar ​autonomous motivations​ (e.g., intrinsic values), both differed significantly from the ​Uninterested, who exhibited lower ​self-determined regulation​ (e.g., extrinsic or amotivation). The findings highlight that ​behavioral type​ (philanthropy vs. activism) does not inherently reflect motivational differences, but ​disengagement​ correlates with weaker internalized motives. This ​person-centered approach​ aids in tailoring ​educational campaigns — e.g., fostering ​autonomy and competence​ for the Uninterested, while leveraging ​existing motivations​ for engaged groups.

The fifth article on “An assessment of the effectiveness of government’s risk management on disaster prevention, mitigation, response, recovery, and rehabilitation in Metro Manila, Philippines” by Heracleo D. Lagrada and Adrian Bon B. Santiago evaluates the effectiveness of ​Metro Manila’s local governments​ in implementing disaster management across four thematic areas: ​preparedness, prevention/mitigation, response, and recovery/rehabilitation. Using a ​descriptive-evaluative and comparative design, the research found that ​disaster preparedness​ scored highest (grand mean of 3.47), followed by ​response​ and ​recovery/rehabilitation​ (both 3.42), while ​prevention/mitigation​ ranked lowest (3.40). The overall effectiveness (grand mean of 3.42) suggests competent performance, though gaps in ​preventive measures​ highlight rooms for improvement, particularly in proactive risk reduction. The findings underscore the need for ​policymakers and legislators​ to refine strategies, such as enhancing ​infrastructure resilience​ (e.g., drainage systems to mitigate flooding) and strengthening ​multi-stakeholder coordination​ (e.g., integrating community participation and leadership focus). The study contributes to ​disaster governance literature​ by providing empirical evidence from a high-risk urban context, offering actionable insights for ​policy formulation​ and ​capacity-building​ in similar regions.

The sixth article is “Civil service and socio-economic progress in Bangladesh: a developmental state perspective” by Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Ahmed Shafiqul Huque, and Mokbul Morshed Ahmad. This study examines how ​professional bureaucracy​ contributes to economic growth in East and Southeast Asian developmental states, drawing lessons for Bangladesh​ to sustain its development trajectory. Through ​qualitative analysis, including interviews with 50 senior civil servants and consultations with 110 bureaucrats, supplemented by a survey of 25 officials, the article identifies ​governance challenges​ such as predatory practices and political interference that hinder bureaucratic effectiveness. The findings emphasize that ​meritocracy, political insulation, and institutional autonomy​ are critical to replicating the success of Asian developmental states, as Bangladesh’s current system risks stagnation without reforms to curb corruption and enhance accountability. The article advocates for a ​democratic developmental state model, where a professional civil service drives policy implementation while resisting short-term political pressures. By addressing these weaknesses, Bangladesh could unlock its bureaucratic potential, ensuring long-term growth aligned with its ​2041 development goals​. The study contributes to debates on ​state capacity​ and offers policy insights for strengthening governance in emerging economies.

The seventh article on “Behavioral model integration in studying money politics in the 2024 election: perspectives of young Indonesian voters” by Suci Megawati, Muhammad Alfarizi, Muhammad Rezky Syamsul, and Galih Wahyu Pradana examines ​Gen Z voters’ perceptions of money politics​ in Indonesia’s 2024 general election through a ​quantitative survey​ in Surabaya, analyzed via ​PLS-SEM. The findings reveal that ​attitudes — shaped by dissatisfaction with environmental conditions and social pressures — are the primary driver of intentions to engage in money politics, while ​knowledge, perceived norms, and personal agency​ show no significant influence. The study illustrates how ​behavioral salience​ (e.g., witnessing money politics) can normalize such practices among youth, despite awareness campaigns. It challenges assumptions that ​political education alone​ can curb money politics, emphasizing instead the need to address ​structural inequalities​ and ​peer influences​ that reinforce transactional voting. The article contributes to debates on ​youth political behavior​ and offers policymakers insights into designing interventions that target ​attitudinal shifts​ and ​social accountability​ rather than mere awareness-raising. Its focus on ​Gen Z adds novelty to literature on money politics in emerging democracies.

The eighth article on “A comparative study of public and private high schools’ implementation of strategy maps to achieve strategic goals in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 era in Indonesia” by Lina, Imron Arifin, Mustiningsih, Teguh Triwiyanto, Nurul Ulfatin, Sultoni, and Bambang applies ​Kaplan and Norton’s Strategy Map framework​ to analyze how Indonesian secondary school principals prepare students for ​Industrial Revolution 4.0, comparing strategies between ​private and public schools​ in Malang. Data from 25 participants revealed distinct approaches: ​private schools​ prioritized a “​product leader” strategy, emphasizing student development and learning growth, while ​public schools​ adopted a “system lock-in” strategy​ through innovative programs, rooted in financial constraints. The framework structured analysis around ​mission, vision, and customer (student) needs, highlighting how each school type aligns internal processes (e.g., curriculum innovation) and resources (e.g., teacher training) with their strategic goals. The study demonstrates the adaptability of ​business management tools​ like strategy maps in education, offering insights into ​contextual strategic planning​ for 4.0-era challenges. Its originality lies in bridging strategic management theory​ with ​educational leadership, revealing institutional disparities and pathways for policy alignment.

The ninth article is “A framework for Made in Africa Evaluation and influence of the African Peer Review Mechanism on policy outcomes” by Martin Kizito, Michel Tshiyoyo, and Adrino Mazenda. It proposes a ​framework for implementing Made in Africa Evaluation (MAE)​​ within Uganda’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), analyzing how evaluation processes (inputs, activities, outputs) shape policy outcomes. Through ​qualitative case study methods, including interviews and focus groups with 35 stakeholders involved in Uganda’s 2005-2021 peer reviews, the research reveals that APRM’s policy impact hinges on ​process design — such as inclusive planning, resource allocation, and legal domestication —and the integration of findings into national budgets. Key lessons highlight the need for ​timely reporting, ​capacity building, and ​cultivating a culture of evidence-based policymaking​ to strengthen MAE’s relevance. The article’s originality lies in translating stakeholder experiences into a ​contextual operational framework, bridging the gap between MAE theory and practice while offering actionable insights for other African nations seeking to enhance evaluation governance. By emphasizing ​local ownership​ and ​systemic learning, the framework advances MAE’s role in fostering accountable and adaptive development policies.

I wish to thank all the authors for contributing their papers to this issue and the reviewers for their insightful and constructive feedback, which has strengthened the quality of these papers. Finally, I thank Emerald and our dedicated editorial team as well as the members of both the Asia Pacific Editorial Board and International Editorial Advisory Board for their unwavering support in making the successful publication of this issue possible. We hope this collection of papers will advance scholarly discourse and practical understanding in various critical areas including new public policy study, corruption scandal, disaster risk management, election money politics, strategy maps and impacts on policy outcomes across Asia, Africa, and worldwide.

Peter K.W. Fong

Editor-in-Chief, PAP Journal

President, Hong Kong Public Administration Association

Professor Peter K.W. Fong, PhD (New York University), is President of Hong Kong Public Administration Association and Editor-in-Chief of PAP Journal. He teaches strategic management and supervises DBA students’ dissertations of the University of Wales TSD. He also serves as Principal Consultant of the International Chamber of Sustainable Development and holds memberships of HK Institute of Planners & Planning Institute Australia. He was a Teaching Fellow of Judge Business School, University of Cambridge; Visiting Scholar, MIT; Founding Director of EMBA programme, HKU Business School; Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Urban Design, HKU; Executive Vice President of City University of Macau; Honorary Professor, China Training Centre for Senior Civil Servants in Beijing; Studies Director, Civil Service Training & Development Institute, HKSAR Government. He was appointed as Advisory/Visiting Professors by Tongji, Tsinghua, Renmin, and Tianjin universities in Mainland China, Chinese University of HK and HK Polytechnic University, and Consultants, the World Bank and Delta Asia Bank. Peter K.W. Fong can be contacted at: fongpeter@netvigator.com