https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/692 2026-04-17T17:58:44Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145738 Title: Environmental policy integration in customs operations : the case of hazardous waste controls in Malta Abstract: Purpose: This dissertation aims to analyse how the Malta Customs Department (MCD) integrates environmental policies into the regulation of transboundary hazardous waste. Design: This study employs a qualitative, multi-method approach, combining documentary analysis of EU, international, and national sources with comparative case studies from Belgium, the Netherlands, Japan, the Czech Republic, Greece, Kenya, and Nigeria. It also includes five semi-structured interviews with officials from MCD, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), and the Commission for the Protection from Ionising and Non-Ionising Radiation (RPC). The analysis is guided by frameworks such as Institutional Isomorphism, Environmental Policy Integration, Multi-Level Governance, and Europeanisation. Findings: The findings reveal a strong legislative framework, such as Malta’s ban on importing hazardous waste and its compliance with EU laws; however, operational practices remain inconsistent. Enforcement relies on technical guidance from ERA and radiological expertise from RPC, but systems for intelligence and data sharing are underdeveloped. Key gaps in training and capacity remain, and while inter-agency cooperation exists, it is mostly informal. Research limitations: The study’s limitations include a small interview sample, reliance on secondary sources for international cases, and a lack of time and resources, which are common for undergraduate projects. Conclusion: This research demonstrates that environmental policy integration within the MCD service exists but remains incomplete, especially in enhancing capacity, data infrastructure, and cooperation. Policy recommendations include formalising relations between Customs and ERA, establishing joint training, developing an integrated data platform linking environmental permits with Customs, expanding monitoring equipment at secondary ports and the airport, and revising standard operating procedures based on lessons learned from joint operations. The findings are also relevant to other small EU member states and candidate countries adopting the EU's environmental acquis. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145737 Title: The evolution and performance of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) : a comparative analysis Abstract: This dissertation investigates the institutional origins and comparative performance of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA). It explores why the Authority was established, and how it performs relative to similar EU regulatory bodies in Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Croatia. The study adopts a qualitative, comparative case study methodology, supported by longitudinal trend analysis from 2018 to 2023. Institutional theory and policy transfer theory provide the conceptual foundation, while the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model is used to structure the empirical assessment across nine performance dimensions. The MCCAA’s formation was driven by a combination of domestic administrative reform and EU compliance pressures. While effective in consumer protection and technical regulation, the Authority remains limited in strategic enforcement capacity and policy leadership. Germany and France demonstrate high regulatory maturity, whereas Luxembourg and Croatia show incremental improvements through reform and EU integration. Malta performs well within its scale, but lags in innovation, high-profile enforcement, and long-term strategic planning. The study is based primarily on publicly available reports, limiting access to internal decision-making or confidential enforcement data. Nonetheless, the comparative framework offers meaningful insights into institutional development and regulatory variance across the EU. Findings support the need for strategic planning, procedural innovation, and targeted capacity-building in smaller regulatory authorities. The study provides a replicable model for evaluating institutional performance in public sector regulation and contributes to underexplored literature on regulatory development in small EU states, offering a theory-informed, model-driven comparative analysis of national competition authorities. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145735 Title: Analysing skills gaps and workforce shortages in the public works department Abstract: This study explores the critical issue of skills gaps and workforce shortages within the Public Works Department from a public management perspective. It aims to identify the core competencies lacking among personnel, assess the effect of these deficiencies on operational efficiency and service delivery, and evaluate the effectiveness of current human resource strategies. Using a mixed-methods approach—including policy analysis, workforce data review, and stakeholder interviews—this research uncovers significant gaps in technical expertise, project management, and strategic planning capabilities. These shortcomings contribute to delays, reduced service quality, and increased operational costs, undermining the department's capacity to fulfill its public service mandate. The study also examines existing interventions such as professional development programmes, recruitment reforms, and knowledge transfer initiatives. Findings suggest that while some strategies show promise, their success is often constrained by limited institutional capacity, funding, and leadership support. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for public sector managers to strengthen workforce planning and align skills development with long-term organizational goals. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145734 Title: Leveraging emerging technologies to augment the Malta police force reporting system Abstract: This study explores how emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence and Automation, may enhance the Malta Police Force’s (MPF) upcoming reporting system. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews with MPF inspectors, three controlled AI experiments focused on Report Writing, Administrative, and Predictive Assistants, and global horizon scanning. Interviews highlight the limitations of the current Reporting System, whilst identifying an upcoming Records Management System (RMS) to replace it. Horizon Scanning identifies numerous technologies which could further enhance this system, categorised as; AI Assistants, Smart Surveillance, and Reporting Automation. The experiments indicate that these significantly outperform human benchmarks across time, accuracy and completeness. These findings are framed using the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) framework and informed by current regulatory structures, including the EU AI Act and Law Enforcement Directive, to present a viable AI-enhanced RMS System for the MPF. Limitations including the district-level scope, modest sample size, and exclusive testing focus on AI assistants point towards the need for broader, cross-departmental research and expanded technology testing. Practically, the study recommends piloting AI assistants ahead of full RMS deployment, establishing an internal AI unit within the MPF, and engaging the judiciary in cross-agency coordination. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z