International Journal of Public Sector Management

Benaine, Shawn L.

2020 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-07-2019-0191

Through comparative analysis with other social science disciplines, gaps are identified in the performance gaming literature of public administration as it compares to other social science disciplines in order to understand directions for future research in this space.Design/methodology/approachThis study involves a systematic review of the performance gaming literature, focusing on important drivers of performance gaming. Using Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ProQuest Central, the systematic review covers years ranging from 1990 through 2019 and revealed empirical studies that were deemed relevant based on whether an article was (1) an empirical study and (2) performance gaming or cheating behavior was the outcome variable. Out of the 81 articles surmised from the search, 51 were regarded as relevant by meeting these criteria.FindingsThe main finding is that public administration has primarily focused on drivers that are embedded in the performance system. The other social sciences (psychology and economics, in particular) focus mainly on individual factors, mostly cognitive in nature. Public administration has also looked at organizational drivers, though this is a burgeoning area. Scholars in public administration may benefit from the other social sciences by determining how individual drivers work within the context of public organizations and how these shape organizational behavior.Originality/valuePer my knowledge, the paper is the first to systematically compare the performance gaming literature of public administration to other social science disciplines. The paper provides a direction for this burgeoning area of research.

Vakulenko, Veronika; Bourmistrov, Anatoli; Grossi, Giuseppe

2020 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-10-2019-0262

The purpose of this paper is to explore inter-organizational interactions that might result in prolonged decoupling between central governments' ideas and local governments' practices during the reform of an institutional field (i.e. healthcare).Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a qualitative study of the centrally directed reform of the healthcare financing system in Ukraine and focusses on practices and reform ideas from 1991 to 2016.FindingsThe findings show that, for more than 25 years, local governments, as providers of healthcare services, faced two major problems associated with drawbacks of the healthcare financial system: line-item budgeting and fragmentation of healthcare funds. Over 25 years, central government's attempts to reform the healthcare financing system did not comprehensively or systematically address the stated problems. The reformers' ideas seemed to focus on creating reform agendas and issuing new laws, instead of paying attention to challenges in local practices.Practical implicationsThis article has two main points that are relevant for practitioners. First, it calls for greater involvement from local actors during all stages of public sector reforms, in order to ensure the relevance of developed reform strategies. Second, it points to potential challenges that central governments may face when conducting healthcare financing system reforms in transitional economies.Originality/valueThe paper's contribution is twofold: it outlines reasons for problematic implementation of healthcare financing system reform in Ukraine and explains them through a “reverse decoupling” concept.

Furqan, Andi Chairil; Wardhani, Ratna; Martani, Dwi; Setyaningrum, Dyah

2020 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-06-2019-0173

This study aims to analyze the effect of audit findings and audit recommendations follow-up on the quality of financial reports and the quality of public services in the context of applying accrual accounting systems to local government in Indonesia. This study also examines whether the quality of the financial report affects the quality of public services.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed cross-sectional regression using data from 1,437 observations from 491 districts/cities for 2014–2016. The data illustrates the conditions prior to the adoption of the accrual accounting system (2014), the initial year of application/transition period (2015) and the second year of the expected accrual accounting system (2016).FindingsThe results of the study indicate that, in general, the quality of financial reports affects the quality of public services. Regarding the implementation of audits in the public sector, it is also found that audit findings have a negative impact on the quality of financial report and the quality of public services, while audit recommendations follow-up plays a positive role in improving the quality of financial report and the quality of public services.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication of the results of this study is closely related to the efforts to realize the ultimate goal of the recent government reforms. In order to increase the quality of public services in the era of higher report requirements through an accrual accounting system, the government should focus on the quality of financial reports, audit findings and the audit recommendations follow-up.Originality/valueThis study provides new insight on the link between the public sector auditing and the quality of accounting in accrual implementation context and the quality of public services.

Amorim Lopes, Teresa Sofia; Alves, Helena

2020 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-10-2019-0259

To analyze and discuss the research on the public healthcare services (PHCS) through the lenses of coproduction/creation by systematizing the antecedents, the process enablers and the outcomes of coproduction/creation in terms of organizational and individual/patients factors.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was performed based on 46 papers found in ISI Web of Science and Scopus databases following the Prisma Protocol for the search.FindingsThe results show that antecedents of coproduction/creation are connected to organizational/institutional capabilities (e.g. codesign of services or trust development) or patient/individual factors (e.g. physical and mental capabilities). The process of coproduction/creation relates with enablers, such as interactive and dynamic relationships between public care service providers and users. Finally, outcomes have diverse nature, namely quality of life, compliance, behavioral intentions, among others.Research limitations/implicationsThis study addresses the overlooked topic of coproduction/creation of value within PHCS. It contributes to public healthcare services literature wherein concepts of coproduction and cocreation of value are still on debate. It contributes to the transformative service research (TSR) by underlining that healthcare factors, processes and approaches may have a positive or negative (value codestructing) influence on the well-being. It yields crucial implications for PHCS.Originality/valueIt is the first attempt to systematize scientific knowledge on this topic, therefore conferring some novelty potential.

Kumasey, Anthony Sumnaya; Hossain, Farhad

2020 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-07-2019-0187

Global concerns over dysfunctional behaviours including bribery and corruption, embezzlement of funds and other conducts by leaders and public officials have become ubiquitous in organizations. Although national and organizational systems have been instituted to make these behaviours a high-risk and low-gain activity, these behaviours have been pervasive in the moral psyche of nations, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the underpinning factors exacerbating dysfunctional behaviours in Ghana's Public Service (GPS) and link these causes to social capital theory.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative case study, which employed semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) and documentary reviews as the data collection instruments. In all, 20 in-depth interviews and four FGD were conducted.FindingsThe following were used to explain how social capital contributes to dysfunctional behaviours: the extended family system, respect for the elderly, moral tone of the nation and in-group member effect, organizational politics and politicization of the service.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this research is the limited sample size, which does not portray the views of all employees working within GPS.Practical implicationsHR has a crucial role in intervening to ameliorate this challenge. The mechanisms to deploy include the development of employee awareness and skills on ethical behaviours, instituting ethical governance culture, encouraging, rewarding ethical behaviour and introducing effective performance management systems. This will enhance employees' behaviours and ensure improved engagement and overall good governance practices and ethical behaviour.Originality/valueThe main value of this research is its contribution in bringing to the fore some underlying causes of dysfunctional behaviours in the public service of developing countries.

Tuominen, Tiina; Hasu, Mervi

2020 International Journal of Public Sector Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpsm-05-2019-0120

This paper analyzes how public servants who work with young people discursively cope with competing demands on their agency, defined as their orientation toward and capabilities to influence their clients. Previous studies revealed how public servants treat their clients when facing competing demands but paid less attention to how public servants define their agency.Design/methodology/approachMicro-level discourse analysis is applied to analyze how public servants represent their agency in client relationships, drawing on interviews with nine individuals in a Finnish city who work with young people lacking jobs or school placements.FindingsInstead of describing their agency coherently, the interviewees applied several discourses to represent their agency differently in relation to different demands. This ability to navigate contradictory discourses is discussed as reflexive discursive coping strategy, which enables public servants to maintain a positive image of their agency despite tensions at work.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the method does not allow direct generalizations, it reveals discursive strategies likely to be found in many contemporary public organizations.Practical implicationsThe study indicates a need to better acknowledge and nurture the multifaceted nature of agency to improve service quality.Originality/valueThe findings deepen the view on tensions in public servants' work and show that diverse discourses not only create anxiety but also help individuals dealing with contradictory work.