The dissertation is devoted to the study of the formation of the organizational and legal mechanism of public administration in the field of national security of Ukraine, the analysis of the functioning of this mechanism in Ukraine and abroad using comprehensive, competence-based, and institutional approaches, as well as the development of applied recommendations for improving the system of public administration in this field.
The theoretical foundations of the formation of the organizational and legal mechanism of public administration in the field of national security of Ukraine are defined, in particular the essence of this mechanism from the standpoint of the content of the category "national security" and the scientific principles of its institutionalization within the system of public administration. National security is presented as a systemic, multifaceted phenomenon that should be considered in light of the basic values of society and the state as components of national interests. The differences between the definitions of "state administration mechanism" and "public administration mechanism" are substantiated, which made it possible to characterize the concept of the organizational and legal mechanism of public administration in the field of national security of Ukraine using a comprehensive approach. According to it, this mechanism is marked by the integrativity and interconnectedness of its legal and organizational components, which exert a mutual formative and corrective influence on each other.
The analysis of the current state of functioning of this mechanism made it possible to characterize it as unsatisfactory and to identify the main reasons for such an assessment. It is established that its functioning should provide for the coordination of various legal and organizational forms of activity aimed at ensuring the interests of the state, society, and the individual, while coherence in the exercise of managerial functions should be ensured by the legal delimitation of the functions and powers of state bodies. On this basis, the key problematic issues in this area were identified and the necessity of their refinement was substantiated.
The scientific position was confirmed by the results of a survey of 150 experts (higher education students and scholars in the field of "Public Administration") from various regions of Ukraine. Most respondents confirmed the hypothesis of a low level of national security and identified the influencing factors and the measures needed to counteract them.
It was found that the current functioning of the mechanism is marked by imperfect strategizing, caused by insufficient consideration of the scientific and theoretical provisions of strategic planning, particularly its medium- and long-term dimensions. To solve this problem, strategic principles for the development of the organizational and legal mechanism of public administration in the field of national security were proposed for the first time. The necessity of updating the current national security strategy of Ukraine is proved, with specific rule-making proposals for the definition, systematization, and balancing of national interests.
Taking into account Ukraine's European integration aspirations, the systematization of foreign practices substantiated the following: the need to observe the principle of succession in the formation of state security policy; an integrated approach to the joint activities of civilian and military structures; the introduction of medium- and long-term strategic planning and public-private partnership; and the development of democratic civilian control. Ways of involving civil society institutions are identified, including improving the legal framework to strengthen the role of the public and developing public-private partnership.
Methodical approaches to improving the organizational and legal mechanism have been developed, within which the structure of an information-analytical system of public administration in the field of national security is proposed to meet the information needs of Ukraine's security and defense sector and support effective public administration decisions.
