/library/oar/handle/123456789/51835 2025-11-03T08:11:00Z 2025-11-03T08:11:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/93625 2022-04-13T09:07:02Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Vote 16 : implications for Maltese political parties Abstract: For some, it is very difficult to imagine youths pursing or being interested in politics. It is perceived that politics does not to include youths nor does it represent youths, in number nor in any other meaningful way. They are absent in representation and, often, their views are perceived to be dismissed. Now that youths in Malta have a voice in society and a vote, this perception must change. Political parties need to look at youths in a more significant way and not just use them as a backdrop for their political campaigns. In an ever-changing society, where individualism seems to be the order of the day, it is challenging for political parties to reach out to youths using traditional methods. This research will investigate the implications that the lowering of the voting age to 16 years has brought about for political parties, mainly focusing on youth engagement in politics, education and how these may or may not influence election turnouts and democracy. This research comes at an interesting time for Malta. It comes on the eve of the 2019 Local Council and the European Parliament (EP) elections, where in both elections youths aged 16 -17 years will be voting for the first time. Another first for Malta, youths aged 16-17 years are now able to contest Local Council elections. Three such candidates have taken up this challenge. This research will show that political parties need to change the way they are doing politics if they want youths to feel included. Furthermore a great emphasis will be made on citizenship education and how this is the key if we want to get the best out of Vote 16. Description: M.A.PUBLIC POLICY LEADERSHIP

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/65278 2020-12-07T13:04:57Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Housing policy in Malta : meeting the present and future needs Abstract: This study analyses Malta’s housing policy history within a multiplicity framework. In this regard, the study investigates the influences which shaped the country’s housing policies in terms of social, historical, political and economic factors. In doing so, the study determines the main factors which facilitated or obstructed policies and whether policies were successful or unsuccessful in reaching the set goal/s and target/s. In the process of the study, some conflicting interests were identified, such as planning development at the expense of sustainable environment interpreted within Malta’s limited spaces. Malta’s size accentuates the problem of housing as land value tends to appreciate by time, rendering housing expensive and even unaffordable to some, many a-time due, to land and property speculation. The study investigates the problem of affordability, both in terms of property buying and rent rates, which puts more pressures on social housing. History reveals that in many cases, the incumbent government was caught unaware of the new demands of social housing. In addition, housing policies have to be interpreted within Malta’s political context, which is imbued with clientelism and cronyism, thus rendering weak the rule of law. Within this scenario, the government may either adopt policies in the best interest of Malta or give in to political pressures, rendering policies less effective and sometimes ineffective. As a matter of fact, one of the recommendations put forward in this study is that policies must be backed by a robust institutional capacity. The study is qualitative in nature as it examines Malta’s policy history from the 1940s onwards; using information collated from archival research, oral interviews and newspaper reports. The span of over seventy years gives a good snapshot of how housing policies have developed throughout the years. The study examines the political influences as well as the social and economic factors that shaped housing policies throughout the years. In this regard, the study investigates what triggered respective governments to formulate housing policies and the different factors that influenced the adoption of housing policies. In conclusion, the study identifies an endemic problem, namely, how to reconcile property development and a sustainable environment within the limited amount of land available in Malta. History indicates that development planning was not high on Malta’s agenda and many housing policies were instituted to address the shortcomings prevalent at the time of their implementation, an approach coined as patchwork policies. The study concludes that one of the solutions is to draw out a long-term housing strategy which caters for sustainable development, a sustainable environment and affordable housing within a robust institutional framework. Description: M.A.PUBLIC POLICY LEADERSHIP

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/64738 2020-12-01T14:34:53Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The benefits and challenges of introducing the 360-degree feedback in the public service of Malta Abstract: The Public Service of Malta uses single-source performance appraisals to measure and manage public officers’ performance. However, the literature highlights the ample benefits of multi-source feedback and shows that foreign public services are shifting to multi-source feedback. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the introduction of the 360-degree feedback in the Public Service of Malta by analysing the potential benefits and challenges of such an introduction. Subsequently, the benefits and challenges of the current and the proposed 360-degree feedback as well as the general perception of the 360-degree feedback process are analysed using mixed methodology. Questionnaires are used to gather general quantitative data from public officers whilst interviews are conducted with officers in management/administration positions to gather indepth, qualitative data. From the findings, it was concluded that whilst public officers’ regard the 360-degree feedback as highly beneficial, the challenges outlined by interviewees will most likely hinder its successful implementation. Furthermore, generally, participants are against the introduction of the 360-degree feedback as a replacement to the current system. However, there is a positive perception on the self-assessment and the introduction of the 360-degree feedback as a complementary employee/leadership development tool to the current performance appraisal. Moreover, public officers’ feedback indicates that they are open and receptive to receiving feedback from multiple sources. Thus, it is suggested, amongst others, that a self-assessment is introduced to the current performance appraisal system and the 360-degree feedback is introduced as a leadership development tool for senior management. Description: B.A.(HONS)PUBLIC ADMIN.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/64735 2020-12-01T14:33:23Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Attaining Malta's renewable energy targets for 2020 : an evaluation from a public policy perspective Abstract: Malta’s EU accession in 2004 brought a myriad of obligations for Malta. One of these challenges was the adoption of alternative and renewable energy policies for a more sustainable and cleaner environment. This project focuses on Malta’s efforts along the years to attain its legally binding target of 10% of its gross final energy consumption by means of renewable energy sources as requested in the Europe 2020 Strategy. These sources include electricity, heating and cooling, transport, waste-to-energy and biomass. This dissertation has focused on renewable energy derived from the electricity and heating and cooling sectors only, from which emanated its title – “Attaining Malta’s Renewable Energy Targets for 2020 – An Evaluation from a Public Policy Perspective”. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the Maltese Governments’ continuous efforts in attaining these challenging targets. It was designed to appraise Malta’s initial attempts through wind energy technology by a government and subsequently via solar energy by another, as the main resource to reach this important objective. Primary research included qualitative analysis by means of face-to-face interviews with past and present policy-makers and experts in the field of renewable energy. Secondary research was compiled mainly from in-depth document analysis, which forms most of the Literature Review. Certain limitations were met in the compilation of the primary research due to the unavailability of additional experts who would have offered additional input. The findings from this research project indicate that Malta will either reach its targets on time, or else will fail very narrowly, compelling it to turn to marginal cooperation mechanisms with other countries in what are known as statistical transfers. Moreover, other innovative technologies, such as offshore PV panels and wind farms will certainly have to be considered for the more challenging targets for 2030 and 2050, paving the way for further studies in this field. This project is still in a hypothesis phase, and subsequently, in itself it implies a substantial amount of originality, the value of which will be determined after 2020. If this hypothesis is proven true, this dissertation will hopefully serve as a reference point for future research and historical reference. Description: B.A.(HONS)PUBLIC ADMIN.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z