International Journal of Public Sector Management

Pakarinen, Mikko; Virtanen, Petri Juhani

2017 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-04-2016-0065

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the empirical research on matrix organizations and cross-functional teams (CFTs) in the public sector, focussing on typical application areas and settings and on motivation for deployment and evidence of utility.Design/methodology/approachThis is a systematic literature review compiled from several electronic databases. Data cover the period from 1990 to 2015 and are confined to academic articles written in English.FindingsApplications of the matrix approach in public sector organizations are found in human resource management and performance management, service development and public procurement, and creation of new organizations or organization reform and network organizations. While the proven utility of matrix organization is often unclear, especially CFTs are linked to better organizational performance, improved coordination, internal collaboration and development of cross-boundary tasks.Research limitations/implicationsMethodological limitations relate to excluded data due to non-accessible articles.Practical implicationsThe findings have practical implications for public sector organizations in adapting to a changing environment.Originality/valueThis is the first systematic literature review of matrix management in public sector organizations.

Puolokainen, Tarmo

2017 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-08-2016-0127

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the systems of fire and rescue services (FRS) in Estonia and Georgia with respect to recent centralization reforms, especially with performance measurement and management in mind, and analyse their prospects for successful implementations.Design/methodology/approachA desk study, covering all the main publicly available strategic plans of both countries relevant to FRS was conducted by the author. In addition, a meeting with the Georgian officials from the Emergency Management Agency was held in May 2016 and follow-up inquiries to specify certain aspects were made in the following two months.FindingsThis study demonstrates that Estonia is using performance indicators widely to set the target levels and manage the fire and rescue system, whereas Georgia is still under the process of introducing performance indicators. Therefore, since the systems of both countries are under centralized management in contrast to the typical European system, it would be suitable to learn from the reforms of each country to further understand the best practices.Research limitations/implicationsSince Georgia was in the process of reform in 2016, it does not have many performance indicators or impact evaluations of the reform readily available, which makes the possibilities of comparison limited.Practical implicationsThe last reform of the FRS in Estonia and Georgia was similar: the centralization of services to increase the potential of cooperation and standardize the level of service provision. Estonia’s FRS system is eager to implement the reforms based on a data-driven analysis, whereas Georgia, still in the process of reform, does not have many performance indicators. As a result, Georgia and other countries aiming to centralize their FRS system in the near future would have the perfect opportunity to learn from Estonia’s reforms as well as predict and adapt to the possible bottlenecks of the reforms. For a wider audience, an analysis of the possible challenges of centralizing public agencies in transitional countries are of interest.Originality/valueThe public service provision is not widely analysed in the context of transition countries. As the reforms are to some extent the result of the accession process of joining the EU, it is crucial to understand whether the reforms have the planned impact on public services. The current paper analysed the reforms and implementations of public management techniques in the FRS, based on two transitional countries: Estonia and Georgia. FRS has seen relatively few studies analysing and comparing the reforms of different countries.

Mastracci, Sharon

2017 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-05-2016-0095

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to find the most important factors to the Index that explains gender gaps in education, health, politics, and economic outcomes worldwide.Design/methodology/approachWorld Economic Forum (WEF) data are analyzed using hedonic regression analysis to estimate which factors affect a country’s Global Gender Gap Index. Standardized β coefficients reveal the top five factors influencing the Index, just as key components of the US Consumer Price Index are teased out using this method.FindingsWomen in public sector management, administration, and politics explain a substantial portion of gender inequality. Policies to increase women’s representation in parliaments, as heads of state, in ministerial positions, and in public sector management mitigate inequality as gauged by the Gender Gap Index. Economic indicators are also among the leading components of the Gender Gap Index.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough comprehensive and drawn from several sources including the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations Development Programme, WEF data do not capture the full experience of women worldwide. Subsequent qualitative research is recommended.Practical implicationsThis analysis reveals policy recommendations for advocates working to close gender gaps, particularly in politics and economic outcomes. Increasing proportions of women in public sector management can mitigate inequality. This supports electoral quotas and human resource management initiatives to diversify management ranks.Social implicationsIncreasing women’s share of public sector managerial positions fosters gender equity, as does increasing women’s share of elected and appointed positions.Originality/valueThis study provides quantitative evidence of the important role of women’s representation to guide subsequent fieldwork. This evidence supports efforts to increase women in elective office and public sector management.

Agostino, Deborah; Arnaboldi, Michela; Dal Molin, Martina

2017 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-04-2016-0078

PurposePublic networks studies have widely diffused in recent years, but scant attention has been devoted to network change. By endorsing the notion of critical crossroads to describe a crucial turning point for the network survival, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how and why a goal-directed network changes, considering both the benefits and the constraints of the change.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a longitudinal case study based upon an interventionist research approach (Jönsson and Lukka, 2006), with the researchers being immersed in the network life of a group of Italian public universities over a period of 17 years.FindingsThis paper proposes an empirical derived framework about network evolution that identifies two different types of crossroads (i.e. resource-driven crossroads and management driven) as drivers for network evolution. The main determinant behind these crisis situation were found in the heterogeneity of the network actors and, while overcoming the crossroads, informal sub-networks were found emerging.Originality/valueThis study enlarges current public network literature by focusing specifically on how and why networks change, an aspect underinvestigated by current literature.

Ugaddan, Reginald G.; Park, Sung Min

2017 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-08-2016-0133

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine salient mechanism by which the quality of political and administrative leadership might influence employee engagement in public sector organizations through public service motivation (PSM). Specifically, the purpose of the paper is twofold. First, the psychological outcomes of quality of leadership perceptions among public employees are identified. Second, how PSM mediates the influence of leadership quality perceptions on employee engagement is examined.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the US Merit System and Protection Board’s (MSPB) 2010 Merit Principles Survey. To establish the distinctive validity of the constructs, the authors performed exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis for latent variables, and subsequently conducted validity and reliability analyses. The authors performed a structural equation model to determine relationship between quality of political and administrative leadership, PSM, and employee engagement.FindingsThe results reveal that the quality of political and administrative leadership is positively related to PSM and employee engagement. This study also confirmed the mediating role of PSM on the relationship between the quality of political and administrative leadership.Originality/valueThe paper expands the literature through studies that may discover critical mechanisms that are of significance in enhancing employee engagement such as quality of leadership depicted in political and administrative leaders and PSM. While previous studies have extensively explored several antecedents of employee engagement, research focusing on the role of quality in public sector leadership and PSM remains limited.

Blixt, Carley; Kirytopoulos, Konstantinos

2017 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-08-2016-0132

PurposePublic sector projects still fail to meet delivery expectations, and the lack of significant project management experience in the Australian public service (APS) has been identified as a contributing factor. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of competencies required for delivering public sector projects, as well as challenges faced by the project managers when operating in a public context.Design/methodology/approachQualitative semi-structured interviews were used to enlighten the social and operating construct in APS. In parallel, a quantitative survey was used to determine the relative importance of various competencies to effective project delivery.FindingsThe research concludes that communication, accountability, business alignment, scope and deliverables, change, and project and program orientation are the most important competencies in APS project delivery. Furthermore, there is evidence that the operating environment acts as a barrier to successful project delivery, noting that it does not let project management practice deploy its full potential for increased effectiveness and efficiency.Practical implicationsThe research findings noted that the specific needs, values and functions of project management in the APS are not well defined, and therefore there were limited criteria against which public sector project management competencies could be designed and measured.Originality/valueThis empirical research contributes to the open dialogue of improving efficiency in project management within the APS context. The findings point to the conflict between the operational nature of APS agencies and their project activities, and how they struggle to define themselves as project organizations rather than lack of appreciation to individual competencies.