Bruce D. McDonald

The Defense-Growth Relationship: An Economic Investigation into Post-Soviet States

An important question stemming from the collapse of the Soviet Union is how defense spending has influenced the economic performance of the 15 member states since their establishment as market economies. This study furthers the understanding of the relationship between defense spending and economic growth using data from the states of the former Soviet Union from 1992 to 2007. A nonlinear production function was used for direct effects, and models of investment and employment were employed for indirect effects. Contrary to expectations, the findings show that continued reliance on the defense sector in post-Soviet states has helped overall economic growth. Similarly, the growth effect of defense spending has remained nearly constant since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Bureau of Municipal Research and the Development of a Professional Public Service

This article explores the professionalization of public administration in terms of its relation to the New York Bureau of Municipal Research. The formation of the New York Bureau of Municipal Research in 1907 served as the catalyst for the creation and expansion of a professional public service. Although public administration has failed to transform into a profession, this article shows that the Bureau contributed to professionalization by (a) developing a body of knowledge and theory for the field, (b) developing a school in which to train persons in that knowledge, and (c) promoting a place where the training and knowledge can be applied.

Person-Organization Fit and Turnover Intention: Exploring the Mediating Role of Employee Followership and Job Satisfaction Through Conservation of Resources Theory

This study examines the mediating role of employee followership and job satisfaction in the relationship between person–organization (P-O) fit and turnover intention. Understanding the mechanisms that link P-O fit and turnover intention may provide useful intervention strategies for leaders and human resource professionals to effectively manage and interact with their followers. Using Hobfoll’s conservation of resources theory, we explore a three-step mediation model in which high P-O fit is related to turnover intention through employee followership and job satisfaction. This model is tested using cross-sectional survey responses from 692 faculty at an urban public university. The authors discuss the implications of the results as well as the limitations of the study for future research.

Followership and job satisfaction in the public sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explicate the role of followership behavior on employee job satisfaction as well as the conditions that may moderate its impact. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a large n survey data from federal agencies and investigates an additive moderation model in which two situational factors, perceived supervisor support (PSS) and performance-oriented culture (POC), interact with followership behavior. Findings – Employees high on active followership perceived greater job satisfaction when PSS was high, rather than low. On the other hand, employees high on active followership perceived greater job satisfaction when POC was low, rather than high. Research limitations/implications – This is, to the knowledge, the first empirical study based on a cross-sectional survey that tests how the effects of active followership on employee job satisfaction may vary depending on the different types of situational factors. As such, more studies are needed to validate the ca...

Understanding Employee Engagement in the Public Sector The Role of Immediate Supervisor, Perceived Organizational Support, and Learning Opportunities

Supervisor support is often argued to be a meaningful predictor of employee engagement; however, existing research has yet to fully support this hypothesis. Drawing from the research on social exchange theory, organizational support theory, and job characteristics model, this study investigates the mediating role of perceived organizational support in the link between supervisor support and employee engagement. How this mediating effect might be moderated by learning opportunities in the job is also considered. Data from a sample of 1,251 employees from state and local government agencies show that supervisor support affects employee engagement both directly and indirectly through its influence on perceived organizational support. In turn, this influences the variance in employee engagement. Results further show that the path linking supervisor support to organizational support is moderated by learning opportunities, such that the positive relationships become invigorated among individuals who reported having opportunities to learn and grow in their job.

Does Public Service Motivation Matter in Public Higher Education? Testing the Theories of Person–Organization Fit and Organizational Commitment Through a Serial Multiple Mediation Model

To address some of the inconsistencies in the literature regarding links between public service motivation (PSM) and individual performance, this study proposes and tests a three-path mediation model in public higher education in which the relationship is mediated by person–organization fit (P-O fit) and organizational commitment (OC) in serial. Based on a sample of 692 faculty at an urban public university, we find that P-O fit and OC as a causal chain mediate the relationship between PSM and organizational citizenship behavior and that this mediated relationship varies depending on the specific context of the performance dimensions. While PSM has positive influence on service through its effect on P-O fit and OC in serial, the results indicate an indirect negative effect on research productivity and no association with teaching. The results regarding both direct and indirect effects further reveal that the directions and significance of the relationships can vary depending on how performance is conceptualized.

The Nexus of State and Local Capacity in Vertical Policy Diffusion

This article examines the vertical diffusion of a policy between a state and its local governments. Although policy diffusion typically relies upon multiple mechanisms, diffusion between a state and its local governments relies primarily on coercion. Using a case study of state-mandated adherence to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), we show that the coercion mechanism is dependent upon the capacity of the state and local governments to adopt and implement a policy, as well as the discretion available to a local government. Utilizing data from all 50 states as of 2008, our findings show that the vertical diffusion of a policy is reliant on a state’s fiscal capacity and the personnel capacity of the local government. We also found that strong institutional autonomy at the local level leads a state to adopt a GAAP mandate.

How to write a case study for public affairs

ABSTRACT A case study is a story narrative that places readers into the shoes of a protagonist so that they can gain the experience of addressing a particular problem or issue. When used effectively in the classroom, case studies can help students bridge the gap from theory to practice. Although public affairs incorporated the case approach in the earliest training programs, the field currently lacks the volume of case studies that are found in other professional disciplines. To encourage the development of more case studies in public affairs, this article provides guidance to authors on the fundamentals of a case study and how to write an effective case study.

Helpful local surtaxes? Florida and disadvantaged families

ABSTRACT Well-intended tax policy often produces unintended consequences. In this article, we look at one such tax policy, specialised surtaxes in the State of Florida. Surtaxes are frequently adopted to provide financial assistance to poverty-based local programmes and services. Despite the intended benefits, we show that the contributors of the tax have been able to capitalise the cost into the residential property market, ultimately placing the burden of the surtax upon the population its revenue intends to help.

Sanction Failure: Economic Growth, Defense Expenditures, and the Islamic Republic of Iran

Political actors have assumed that economic sanctions hinder a nation’s stability by reducing its economic growth, though history has shown otherwise. One potential explanation for this phenomenon is that any decline in a growth is offset by the economic benefit they receive from a response of increased militarization. Using a defense-driven model, we test this explanation with data Iranian from 1959 to 2007. The findings show that economic sanctions have limited the development of Iran, but the influence of an increasing defense sector offsets the sanctions, suggesting sanctions may be ineffective due to the substitution effect from defense expenditures.