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Relevant Stages, Actors, and Instruments in the Portuguese Judicial System Modernization Process

Received: 24 January 2022    Accepted: 8 February 2022    Published: 24 February 2022
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Abstract

Modernization processes occur by following some type of previously defined stages or phases, which intend to have as a result the efficiency, efficacy, transparency and closeness to the citizen, namely, if one is referring to the modernization of public policies. The paper presents the results achieved with three research analysis performed: the first one applied to official Portuguese Governmental documents (specifically, legislature programs, since 1975), following Martinelli’ guidelines; the second considering the interviews’ content analysis conducted to key actors positioned at the level of public policies’ definition, specifically, to what the Portuguese judicial system is concerned; and the third one which was the NVivo analysis applied to those same interviews. To the modernization processes that have been happening in the last 10 years, interviewees highlighted the challenges faced, various key moments linked to specific projects and the relevance of Information and Communication Technologies. The main research goal was to understand how the Portuguese judicial system modernization processes happen, considering the different dimensions of the judicial system and of the modernization process. It was possible to conclude that several external events, such as economic and public health crises, have a major influence on judicial system modernization processes. All the actors involved are relevant for the reforms, whether at an upstream or downstream level. With the European Union having a relevant role. Instruments such as laws, platforms, work management tools also assume an important role. However, the highlight of the judicial system modernization processes’ instruments goes to the Information and Communication Technologies and the infocommunicational competences.

Published in Journal of Public Policy and Administration (Volume 6, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16
Page(s) 38-48
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Modernization, Reform, Portuguese Judicial System, NVivo Analysis, Qualitative Methods

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Ana Melro, Filipe Teles, Lídia Oliveira. (2022). Relevant Stages, Actors, and Instruments in the Portuguese Judicial System Modernization Process. Journal of Public Policy and Administration, 6(1), 38-48. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16

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    ACS Style

    Ana Melro; Filipe Teles; Lídia Oliveira. Relevant Stages, Actors, and Instruments in the Portuguese Judicial System Modernization Process. J. Public Policy Adm. 2022, 6(1), 38-48. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16

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    AMA Style

    Ana Melro, Filipe Teles, Lídia Oliveira. Relevant Stages, Actors, and Instruments in the Portuguese Judicial System Modernization Process. J Public Policy Adm. 2022;6(1):38-48. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16,
      author = {Ana Melro and Filipe Teles and Lídia Oliveira},
      title = {Relevant Stages, Actors, and Instruments in the Portuguese Judicial System Modernization Process},
      journal = {Journal of Public Policy and Administration},
      volume = {6},
      number = {1},
      pages = {38-48},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jppa.20220601.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jppa.20220601.16},
      abstract = {Modernization processes occur by following some type of previously defined stages or phases, which intend to have as a result the efficiency, efficacy, transparency and closeness to the citizen, namely, if one is referring to the modernization of public policies. The paper presents the results achieved with three research analysis performed: the first one applied to official Portuguese Governmental documents (specifically, legislature programs, since 1975), following Martinelli’ guidelines; the second considering the interviews’ content analysis conducted to key actors positioned at the level of public policies’ definition, specifically, to what the Portuguese judicial system is concerned; and the third one which was the NVivo analysis applied to those same interviews. To the modernization processes that have been happening in the last 10 years, interviewees highlighted the challenges faced, various key moments linked to specific projects and the relevance of Information and Communication Technologies. The main research goal was to understand how the Portuguese judicial system modernization processes happen, considering the different dimensions of the judicial system and of the modernization process. It was possible to conclude that several external events, such as economic and public health crises, have a major influence on judicial system modernization processes. All the actors involved are relevant for the reforms, whether at an upstream or downstream level. With the European Union having a relevant role. Instruments such as laws, platforms, work management tools also assume an important role. However, the highlight of the judicial system modernization processes’ instruments goes to the Information and Communication Technologies and the infocommunicational competences.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    AB  - Modernization processes occur by following some type of previously defined stages or phases, which intend to have as a result the efficiency, efficacy, transparency and closeness to the citizen, namely, if one is referring to the modernization of public policies. The paper presents the results achieved with three research analysis performed: the first one applied to official Portuguese Governmental documents (specifically, legislature programs, since 1975), following Martinelli’ guidelines; the second considering the interviews’ content analysis conducted to key actors positioned at the level of public policies’ definition, specifically, to what the Portuguese judicial system is concerned; and the third one which was the NVivo analysis applied to those same interviews. To the modernization processes that have been happening in the last 10 years, interviewees highlighted the challenges faced, various key moments linked to specific projects and the relevance of Information and Communication Technologies. The main research goal was to understand how the Portuguese judicial system modernization processes happen, considering the different dimensions of the judicial system and of the modernization process. It was possible to conclude that several external events, such as economic and public health crises, have a major influence on judicial system modernization processes. All the actors involved are relevant for the reforms, whether at an upstream or downstream level. With the European Union having a relevant role. Instruments such as laws, platforms, work management tools also assume an important role. However, the highlight of the judicial system modernization processes’ instruments goes to the Information and Communication Technologies and the infocommunicational competences.
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Author Information
  • Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP) & Digital Media and Interaction Research Center (DigiMedia), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

  • Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

  • Digital Media and Interaction Research Center (DigiMedia), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

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