International Journal of Public Sector Management

Tejedo-Romero, Francisca; Rodrigues, Miguel; Araujo, Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves

2023 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-01-2022-0026

This manuscript studies municipal transparency in Iberian countries, Spain and Portugal, to analyse similarities and differences in both countries. Despite some political-administrative similarities, the way Spain and Portugal, deal with the issue of transparency may vary.Design/methodology/approachBased on the levels of municipal transparency, this work aims to analyse how legal and institutional context and political factors framed the way municipalities are managing the “naming and shaming” approach resulting from the creation of the Municipal Transparency Index. A descriptive analysis of the levels of municipal transparency will be carried out and a multivariate analysis to study the characteristics that may be determining differences and similarities between the two countries.FindingsThe study shows similarities in municipal transparency in Iberian countries, the positive effect of the “naming and shaming” approach on transparency and the influence of legal and institutional factors in transparency.Originality/valueWhile there is extensive attention to municipal transparency at the country level, less research focuses on comparing municipal transparency in countries that have similar political-administrative characteristics. This study addresses this research gap by investigating two neighbouring countries.

De Matteis, Fabio; Striani, Fabrizio; Greco, Roberto

2023 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-01-2022-0024

Communication within a public organization is a fundamental aspect considering its contribution both to organizational well-being and – as highlighted by recent literature – to the improvement of relations with external users. This paper aims at analyzing the relevance of different dimensions of communication and the relationship between communication and citizens' satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on data collected through questionnaires (303; 86%) filled in by the public personnel of an Italian local government to verify the communication dimensions relevance. The authors applied the OLS method to test the relationship between communication dimensions and citizens' satisfaction (deriving from the municipality's customer satisfaction survey system, which collected 3,708 questionnaires).FindingsThe authors show that four of the five communication dimensions considered are particularly relevant and that two of them (“interpersonal communication” and “organizational communication”) positively influence the level of satisfaction of users of local public services (citizens' satisfaction), also countering the negative perception of certain sectors (e.g. taxes and local taxation, traffic police). The conclusion also highlights some limitations of the work.Originality/valueThe study brings new insights into the impact of communication (as an element of public employee well-being) on citizen satisfaction, leading to some useful implications for public managers.

Jaspers, Sylke; Migchelbrink, Koen

2023 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-04-2022-0089

In coproduction, citizens may be confronted with a conflict between creating user value and a more collective understanding of public value creation. In order to deal with conflicts experienced as trade-off situations, coproducers follow various coping strategies leading to different results. This study aims to gain insight into what drives the choices for coping strategies, which are valuable for understanding the role of citizen coproducers in public value creation.Design/methodology/approachThis article studies the effects of citizens' external efficacy and trust in public servants on citizen coproducers' preferences for coping strategies. The study presents a vignette experiment among n = 257 citizens involved in the temporary use of vacant spaces in Flanders, Belgium.FindingsNo statistically significant effects of external efficacy and trust in public servants on respondents' preferences for coping strategies are found. The results show that irrespective of the level of external efficacy or trust in public servants, citizen coproducers prefer to ask for help from the public servant involved in the project.Originality/valueThis result draws attention to the need for facilitation and guidance from public servants and the servants' organizations to help citizen coproducers balance out these otherwise paralyzing value conflicts. Moreover, the lack of statistically significant effects of trust and external efficacy is a valuable finding for literature. The result shows that, in the drivers of coproduction behavior, there is no consistent relationship between citizen trust in government or external efficacy and coproduction behavior.

Annan-Prah, Elizabeth Cornelia; Andoh, Raphael Papa Kweku

2023 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-07-2022-0168

This study aims to examine the mediating role of resource capacity on the effect of administrative capacity on local level development.Design/methodology/approachData is obtained from three Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Central Region of Ghana using a survey. A structural equation modelling that includes a formatively measured construct (administrative capacity) is used in the analyses.FindingsLeadership, human resource management, financial resource management, technical and adaptive capacities are supported as formative constructs of administrative capacity. More so, it is established that administrative capacity has an effect on resource capacity. Also, administrative capacity and resource capacity each has an effect on local level development. The mediation analysis shows that resource capacity mediates the effect administrative capacity has on local level development.Practical implicationsAdministrative capacity is a necessity for local governments as enhancing it together with the resource capacity of MMDAs are vital if local level development is to be achieved. In this regard, administrative and resource capacities of local governments must be pursued by both the central government and decentralised governments for the latter to achieve its primary mandate.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically ascertain leadership, human resource management, financial resource management, technical and adaptive capacities as the dimensions of administrative capacity using a structural equation model. Given that there is a lack of consensus on the dimensions of administrative capacity, this study contributes significantly to the discourse. The study also highlights the need to pursue and enhance administrative and resource capacities for local level development.

Sudha, Aminath; Azam, S.M. Ferdous; Tham, Jacquline

2023 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-09-2022-0198

Emerging research on public administration theory has highlighted the need for public sector managers to become better leaders by inspiring and motivating them to align themselves with their organisation's mission and vision. Therefore, transformational leadership has become increasingly appealing in public administration. This study investigates how transformational leadership affects the job performance of those in the Maldives' civil service. Furthermore, it tests the mediation effect of organisational commitment on the relationship between transformational leadership and the job performance of those working in the Maldives' civil service.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a quantitative and cross-sectional design to collect data from 370 employees from different Maldives civil service offices. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, and structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses. The mediating effect was tested using bootstrapping.FindingsThe results reveal that transformational leadership did not significantly affect job performance. While a mediation effect was present, the effect size was within a small range.Originality/valueThe results of this study has important implications for the Maldives' civil service from a human resource management perspective and provides insights to policymakers on how to improve leadership in Maldives' civil service institutions. Furthermore, this study contributes significantly to the existing research in understanding the effect of transformational leadership on public sector organisations in Asia and from a developing country's perspective.