Public Personnel Management

Nguyen, Nhung Thi Hong

doi: 10.1177/00910260221129840pmid: N/A

Stereotypes about Millennials permeate conversations about public management, often without evidence. Based on generational theory and psychological contract theory, this study hypothesizes and empirically compares affective commitment levels of U.S. federal Millennials and Generation Xers. This study uses a time-lag design with data from the 2011 Federal Viewpoint Survey and the 2004 Federal Human Capital Survey to investigate Millennials and Generation Xers under 30 years old and untangle the generational difference effect while controlling for the age difference. The findings show that Millennials reported slightly higher levels of affective commitment in comparison with Generation Xers (contrary to common stereotypes). This study also reports null findings or the absence of evidence for the differences regarding how managerial practices (support for work–life balance, financial rewards, and meaningful work) influence their affective commitment. In addition, federal employees belonging to the Millennial generation reported work interests differing from the common stereotypes. This study advances public management scholarship regarding affective commitment of generations and young employees, as well as contributing evidence about generational differences in an under-studied field: the public sector. Practically, the findings help reduce erroneous stereotypes and foster effective and equitable management of the public workforce.

Sørensen, Peter; Hansen, Morten Balle; Villadsen, Anders Ryom

doi: 10.1177/00910260221136085pmid: N/A

The aim of this study is to research how leaders’ subordinates, peers, and superiors perceive changes in leadership behavior (measured as task, relation, and change orientations) when leaders in their organization participate in formal leadership education. This question is addressed in a longitudinal 3-year study. This article uses data from a panel of respondents (n = 860–897) from four Danish municipalities. Descriptive statistics and leader fixed effects indicate that formal leadership education has a substantial short-term perceived impact on leadership behavior. The most robust finding in the study are the statistically significant correlations between the perception of leadership behavior and the perceiver’s hierarchical position. The study shows significant differences between subordinates, peers, and superiors in their perceptions of the development of leadership behavior over time. Subordinates rate change in leadership behavior as significantly lower than do peers and superiors.

Jensen, Didde Cramer; Hansen, Ane-Kathrine Lundberg; Pedersen, Lars Dahl; Andersen, Lotte Bøgh

doi: 10.1177/00910260221140398pmid: N/A

Span of control may be a critical structural condition for ethical leadership. According to social learning theory, emulation and vicarious learning processes are mechanisms through which ethical leaders enhance ethical commitment among employees. However, if the span of control (number of employees per manager) is too wide, ethical leadership can be difficult to practice due to a more distant relationship between manager and employees. Using a mixed method design with survey data and interviews, we analyze the relationship between span of control and ethical leadership among doctors in Danish hospitals. Survey results from the study show no statistical association between span of control and clinical directors’ self-reported ethical leadership. Interviews with employees and managers support this finding by showing how ethical guidance unfolds through social exchange relationships where employees can act as moral professionals. This suggests that span of control is not a critical structural condition for intending and perceiving a high level of ethical leadership. Span of control is indirectly relevant through the perceived distance between manager and employees. The findings thus enhance our understanding of how ethical leadership takes place in complex, professionalized public organizations. This might inspire managers to lower the organizational power distance and promote professionalism.

Løkke, Ann-Kristina; Villadsen, Anders Ryom; Bach, Anne Skipper

doi: 10.1177/00910260221146145pmid: N/A

This study investigates the effects of optimal rule control on recruitment and selection practices in public organizations. Although rules are argued to constrain organizational practices and organizational performance, there is limited knowledge about the relationship of optimal rule control to recruitment and selection practices from a managerial perspective. By conducting a study with survey responses from 1,000 public frontline managers, combined with administrative data, this article investigates how optimal rule control is associated with the formation of recruitment objectives and selections based on values and cultural fit. Findings indicate a positive relationship between optimal rule control and the formation of recruitment objectives and selections based on fit. Unexpectedly, managerial tenure does not seem to moderate the association between optimal rule control and recruitment and selection practices. The study contributes to the public human resource management literature by focusing on the influence of organizational rules on human resource practices.

Barnes, Alicia; Grayer, Misty

doi: 10.1177/00910260221143075pmid: N/A

This study examines how the public perceives the use of diversity training in public service organizations through the lens of neutral and charged language in a politicized context. This study explores whether framing affects levels of agreement regarding the use of diversity training. Data were collected from a sample of more than 700 undergraduate political science students, and findings indicate that individuals, overall, demonstrate more agreement with the use of diversity training when framed through the lens of neutral language rather than charged language. The data also show that factors such as political ideology, gender, and race are predictors of agreement.

Kim, Byeong Jo

doi: 10.1177/00910260221145134pmid: N/A

Despite considerable research on the importance of a management practice emphasizing the relational aspect such as participative management, little is known regarding the mechanism through which this relation-oriented management practice motivates public employees to cultivate pro-organizational work behavior such as organizational citizenship behavior. Using data from public employees in South Korea, this study examines the association between participative management and organizational citizenship behavior. We also explore how participative management sparks public employees to be engaged in their job, which in turn leads to higher organizational citizenship behavior. By identifying employee engagement as a mediating mechanism that links participative management and organizational citizenship behavior, this study offers insights into the role of relational management practices in public settings.