Jan Wynen

Innovation-oriented culture in the public sector: Do managerial autonomy and result control lead to innovation?

This article examines the effect of specific new public management (NPM)-related characteristics to explain innovation-oriented culture within public sector organizations. According to NPM doctrines, an enhanced managerial autonomy combined with result control will stimulate a more innovation-oriented culture in such organizations. Using multi-country survey data of over 200 public sector agencies, we test for the influence of organizational autonomy, result control and their interactions, on innovation-oriented culture. High levels of managerial autonomy and result control have independent and positive effects. However, the interaction between high personnel management autonomy and high result control has a negative effect.

Do NPM-type reforms lead to a cultural revolution within public sector organizations

Abstract Agencification and granting public sector organizations managerial autonomy in particular is believed to change organizational cultures, away from traditional compliance- and detail-oriented bureaucratic cultures and towards organizational cultures which are more oriented towards external customers. There is however very little empirical information on the relationship between managerial autonomy and organizational culture. Using a unique data set on public agencies in Flanders, we not only test how managerial autonomy affects the strength of a customer-oriented culture within public sectors but also examine whether this culture becomes dominant over traditional public administration culture. Analysis shows that managerial autonomy positively affects a customer-oriented culture; however, it does not make it a dominant culture.

The Impact of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Turnover Intention in the U.S. Federal Government

Using data from the U.S. Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, this article seeks to provide an insight into the effect of the financial and economic crisis on turnover intention within the U.S. federal government. By constructing panel data and applying a first difference estimator, the effect of the crisis on turnover intention is examined, while dealing with a possible issue of endogeneity. Not only does this approach allow us to examine the effect of the crisis, but it also enables us to analyze whether the specific effect of independent variables identified by turnover literature has changed due to the crisis. Results highlight that the crisis has a negative impact on turnover intention, while the effects of pay, training, and gender on turnover intention appear to have changed.

An estimation of the determinants of same-day visit expenditures in Belgium

Few studies have attempted to identify predictors for spending behaviour on same-day visits. A good understanding of these predictors, however, could serve as a guide for the planning of marketing campaigns, could help in increasing the economic benefits of day trips and could be of interest from a policy perspective. Thus the main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of a wide range of socio-demographic and same-day visit related variables on the volumes and probabilities of same-day visit expenditures. Using a unique dataset on same-day visits in Belgium, the empirical results highlight that the duration of a same-day visit, age, information, education and motivation are important determinants of same-day visit expenditures.

HRM implementation by line managers: explaining the discrepancy in HR-line perceptions of HR devolution

Previous studies already established the idea of a partnership in which HR professionals and line managers share an organisation’s HRM responsibility. Yet, this relationship is often plagued by conflicts and other obstacles. As such, a perceptual discrepancy is likely to exist between both parties on the degree of HR devolution, which may eventually lead to bad performance. Using survey data, we empirically analyse which factors may explain a perceptual discrepancy between HR professionals and line managers on the latter group’s role in HRM. Results show that the HR-line discrepancy on the degree of HR devolution is rooted in differences in perception on several other factors, including organisational support, (personnel) red tape, the line’s individual capacity and age. Overall, though, it is a matter of understanding both HR’s expectations and the line’s experiences in all aspects of their partnership.

Decentralization in public sector organizations : do organizational autonomy and result control lead to decentralization toward lower hierarchical levels?

Decentralization of managerial authority in public organizations, from top management to lower hierarchical levels, is believed to lead to more committed and empowered middle and lower managers and consequently to improved organizational performance. This article provides an empirical understanding of the effect of organizational autonomy and result control on internal decentralization of managerial decision-making in public sector organizations. Results show that organizational autonomy and result control affect the degree of internal decentralization, and so, too, do organizational size and age.

Effective HRM Implementation by Line Managers: Relying on Various Sources of Support

ABSTRACT We explore one of the key underlying mechanisms that mediate the HRM–performance link, namely HRM implementation by line managers. The purpose of our study is to examine the role of various sources of support in explaining effective HRM implementation by line managers. Results indicate that HR, supervisor, and coworker support are relevant in explaining line managers’ HR role performance. In addition, younger line managers and those with greater supervisory experience are found to perform better in their HR role. Hence, organizations should consider developing a broad support network to ensure effective implementation of HRM by line managers.

Internal Performance-Based Steering in Public Sector Organizations: Examining the Effect of Organizational Autonomy and External Result Control

ABSTRACT The use of performance management techniques by public sector organizations is believed to lead to a more efficient and better-performing public sector. Using multicountry survey data, this article provides an understanding of the effect of organizational autonomy and external result control on the use of internal performance-based steering toward lower hierarchical levels in public sector organizations. Results show that result control matters, as does financial management autonomy, but no effects can be observed for personnel management autonomy.

More Reforms, Less Innovation? The Impact of Structural Reform Histories on Innovation-Oriented Cultures in Public Organizations

ABSTRACT The environments of public organizations have become substantially volatile due to economic and societal changes, requiring organizations to continuously adapt and to develop an innovation-oriented culture. In response to the multitude of challenges posed by this volatile environment, politicians in inter alia the executive and parliament impose structural reforms upon public organizations, implying that these organizations might be confronted with a series of structural reforms over their lifetime. This paper advances that a history of repeated and frequent structural reforms, irrespective of the underlying drivers of these reforms, has a negative effect on the innovation-orientedness of the organizational culture. We explore the link between an organization’s history of structural reforms and the degree to which the culture within these organizations is innovation-oriented. Results indicate that organizational turmoil generated by repeated structural reforms reduces innovativeness and suggest that too many structural reforms imposed in a too short time span will have detrimental side effects.

Quality Management in Public Sector Organizations: Evidence from Six EU Countries

ABSTRACT Although there is considerable evidence for the hypothesis that an efficient use of management techniques is the key to a good public service delivery, a lot of studies come to the conclusion that there is only partial, reluctant implementation or even a general lack of the use of such techniques by public managers. This paper examines the determinants for the use of quality management techniques in public sector organizations from six EU countries. It turns out that especially more organizational autonomy and result control appear to be of importance while, surprisingly, the combination of these variables leads to negative results.