About Administrative Literature

Norwegian State Administration Database - Literature Section

The Norwegian State Administration Database has been expanded with a literature section that complies on various entities. This serves as a supplement, providing more detailed and structured information than what is already available in the database. The collection includes books, journal articles, reports, and theses, many of which are available in full text.

Development of the Literature Database

The literature collection has been developed through two phases:

• First project/phase (from around 1970): A foundational mapping of relevant publications, categorized as books, book chapters, journal articles, reports, report chapters, notes, and academic theses. Each reference includes essential details such as title, author, publisher, year, and publication type. Some entries also include summaries, links to full texts, ISBN, ISSN, and page numbers. This initial phase focused on systematically registering publications related to public administration.
• Second project/phase (1996-2006): An expanded effort conducted in collaboration with Rokkansenteret, Statskonsult, and NSD, aimed at mapping and systematizing research on the effects of government policy tools in public administration. The project categorized publications based on policy instruments, administrative effects, and governance structures. It focused primarily on empirical studies from Norway, along with comparative research from other countries. Publications from key Nordic institutions, such as Statskonsult (Norway), Riksrevisjonen (Sweden), and the Danish Ministry of Finance, were included. Additionally, about 50 researchers in Scandinavia contributed to the mapping. Over 465 publications were registered in the phase.

Each publication is linked to the Administrative Database based on its relevance to specific entities, governance structures, or administrative policies. The database allows users to search for literature based on various access to research on public administration.

Background

The idea of a literature database emerged when the Administrative Database was first established. The goal was to systematically collect and organize various types of publications related to public administration.

The first structured mapping of literature began in 2005, funded by the SAMDATA project under the Norwegian Research Council (NFR). This project allowed Rokkansenteret and NSD to expand the database with essential information about public sector organizations. The aim was to create an infrastructure database that would enhance access to government administration data more for researchers and other users.

Key contributors to the project included Professor Paul G. Roness from University of Bergen and Sturla Herfindal from Rokkansenteret. The expanded phase of the project was overseen by a steering group with experts from institutions such as the University of Bergen, the University of Oslo, and Statskonsult. Data collection in this extended phase took place from May to October 2007.

Sikt has been managing the Administrative Database since 2022, taking over from NSD. This transition followed the establishment of Sikt on January 1 - 2022, resulting from the merger of NSD, Uninett, and the Unit, the Directorate for ICT and Joint Services in Higher Education & Research.

Data Quality

The selection of literature for the database is based on an assessment of relevance, using summaries or titles as the primary criteria. Publications are not only linked to the specific entities they directly discuss, but also to other related organizations to ensure broad accessibility.

The publications are connected to the Administrative Database through four key dimensions:

• Direct relevance to a specific entity in the database
• Relevance to administrative structure or internal ministry level (horizontal dimension)
• Connection to broader ministry segments (vertical dimension)
• Use of data from various NSD archives

The time period covered by a publication is also determined based on a case-by-case evaluation. In some studies, the timeframe is explicitly stated, but in most cases, the times period only gives an approximate indication of the era the publication deals with. Despite efforts to ensure accuracy, there may be some publications that should have been included but were not, or cases where connections between publications and entities are not entirely precise.

The database is continuously updated to improve data quality and expand access to research on public administration.

Use

The Literature Database provides more detailed information than what is listed for units in The Public Administration Database. Searching for units in The Public Administration database will automatically display relevant publications and annual reports related to each unit.

Theses (Master's, Magister, and Bachelor)

These theses are sourced from university websites and online literature databases. The universities of Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, and Tromsø were used, with a focus on fields like political science, sociology and history. Some these have been published as reports or books by universities and research institutions, and these are included in the database. However, some theses may exist in other format that we have not been able to access.