United States Public Administration: Management of Public Organizations

Management of Public Organizations

Question #1. Discuss how organizational behavior is defined in the public sector?

Does it differ from organizational behavior outside of the public sector?

Why or why not?

How might intrinsic and extrinsic motivations be different in the public sector vis-à-vis other sectors?

How is organizational behavior defined in the public sector?

· It is a way of thinking and acting that is of critical importance and value to people who work in public organizations.

· Study of individual and group behavior in organizations

· Work at

o Group level

o Organizational level

o System level

· Provides the tools, skills, ideas, and strategies for managing human behavior in organizations.

· Concerned with human behavior and social systems.

· Is the study of how people behave in public and nonprofit organizations.

· Provides critically important and highly useful perspectives on motivation, leadership, groups, power and politics, culture, and other matters that directly concern individual and group behavior.

· Also speaks to organizational issues and community issues, but does so in the lens of individual and group behavior.

· Example: motivating employees, leading and inspiring others, communicating effectively within and outside of the org, making effective decisions, using diversity to enhance org performance, helping others to become more innovative and creative.

· Concerned not only with the behavior of the individual and groups but also with the influence of the individual on the organization and the influence of organizational structure, culture, & other factors on the individual.

 

THE ROOTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

Early Approaches:

-          Controlling and manipulating workers to maximize productivity

-          Workers viewed as extensions of their tools

-          Employee motivation based on rewards or punishments only

Assumption about workers:

-          Found work to be unpleasant

-          Would do what they were told

Do we think public sector is adopting (or should adopt) private sector org behavior? Must consider that these are public funds, so there is more accountability. Difficult to invest in employees (incentives, bonuses) w/public funds. Example - ways office functions w/mini incentives (office decor, morale boosters). Difficult to implement, took time, but worked in long run (Private example - Zappos)

Highly influenced by leader of org. If they are not invested in a positive environment, will not be culture of org.

Does it differ from organizational behavior outside of the public sector? Why or why not?

THIS IS HOW THEY DO NOT DIFFER

· 3 Levels: The Individual, The Group, and The Organization

· These three levels are the same in both public & private. Each level requires a different management competency:

· The Individual: Interpersonal Sensitivity, Communication, Technical Competence

· The Group: Leadership, Action Orientation, Flexibility, Results Focus

· The Organization: Environmental Sensitivity, Strategic View, Broad Perspective

· HOW THEY DIFFER:

In the public sector, there is a fourth level: Governance in the Public Interest (Public Service Values)

· Public servants have a responsibility to manage organizational behavior so as to meet public objectives and community needs - and these values are, in fact, more important than the personal needs and desires of managers or workers or organizational behavior values such as stability and structure.

· Public service is about serving others - the needs of others take priority over profit.

· Mission driven

· Are governed by laws, rules, traditions and structural bureaucratic checks and balances.

· Concerned not only with conduct of org but also establishing policies on a variety of important social, economic and political issues.

· Public Accountability

· Public Service Values

PRIVATE SECTOR

· In contrast, the private sector organizations are ‘classical private profit-making firms’ (profit driven)

· Success measured by things like profit and ROI.

· Private sector leaders accountable to investors and stockholders

· Less bureaucratic, more agile - can make large changes more quickly

· Independence from political and regulatory controls

Example: Think about the public hospital and private hospital

How might intrinsic and extrinsic motivations be different in the public sector vis-a-vis other sectors?

· Extrinsic motivation : associated with external factors. Rewards that come from the outside.

· Intrinsic Motivation: any reward that comes from within each individual.

· Douglas McGregor - Theory Y

· Theory Y assumes that people are happy to work and pursue objectives

· No need for a reward and punishment system.

· People want to use their creativity and they like to take a creative problem solving approach.

· People want to get the most out of their work through satisfaction, appreciation, and motivation, most of which are intrinsic motivation factors.

(PSM)- Public Service Motivation

Organizational Commitment - public objectives and community needs.

· Public Service Motivation: the belief, values, and attitudes that go beyond self-interest and organizational interest, that concern the interest of a larger political entity and that motivate individuals to act accordingly whenever appropriate.

· Focus on the job design, work schedules, participation, and goal setting for the employees, so that employees are intrinsically motivated and have the best work performance

· Public service leaders should work to create a positive work environment

· PSM suggest that employees are motivated intrinsically by feeling satisfaction of what their work accomplishes and how it betters the lives of the citizens.

· In contrast, private service leaders are motivated by increasing profits, selling to more people, name/brand recognition.

Motivation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NquGHWIoys0&feature=youtu.be