Ce commentaire sur l'article « Tous les goûts sont-ils dans la nature ? La traduction des valeurs publiques en significations officielles » considère le bien-fondé des arguments des auteurs et propose plusieurs recommandations aux chercheurs intéressés par les valeurs publiques.
This commentary on the article "Different strokes for different folks? The translation of public values into official meanings" considers the merits of the authors' arguments and offers several recommendations for researchers interested in public values.
Nombreuses sont les recherches qui soulignent l'importance de la congruence entre les valeurs du personnel et celles de l'organisation. Pourtant, malgré les preuves que la congruence des valeurs influence bel et bien les principaux résultats individuels et organisationnels, plusieurs failles énormes subsistent dans la recherche. Nous tentons ici d'enrichir les connaissances existantes dans le domaine de la gestion publique par divers moyens : (1) en examinant si et comment la congruence des valeurs influence l'engagement affectif du personnel à l'égard de l'organisation et (2) en répondant aux récents appels lancés aux chercheurs pour qu'ils expliquent les processus par lesquels la congruence des valeurs façonne les opinions et le comportement du personnel. Nos résultats, qui s'appuient sur des données dyadiques compilées sur un échantillon de cadres supérieurs dans des gouvernements locaux américains, indiquent que la congruence des valeurs est associée à des niveaux plus élevés d'engagement affectif à l'égard des organisations. En outre, la congruence des valeurs est encore plus importante dans les cas où il existe des niveaux plus élevés d'ambiguïté des objectifs. Remarques à l'intention des praticiens Les conclusions de l'étude ont plusieurs implications pratiques pour les gestionnaires publics. Premièrement, les résultats indiquent que les gestionnaires doivent reconnaître et prendre en compte les perceptions du personnel quant à l'ambiguïté des objectifs organisationnels s'ils espèrent le retenir. À cette fin, les gestionnaires feraient bien de concevoir les objectifs de concert avec leur personnel ; le processus de cocréation des objectifs peut contribuer à limiter l'ambiguïté. Deuxièmement, les gestionnaires doivent créer des systèmes de communication solides qui acceptent les désaccords et reconnaissent l'importance d'un dialogue efficace sur la nature des objectifs. Enfin, les gestionnaires doivent fournir un retour d'information sur les objectifs à intervalles réguliers afin d'aider le personnel à comprendre les attentes.
A substantial body of research underscores the importance of congruence between employee and organizational values. Yet, despite evidence that value congruence affects key individual and organizational outcomes, several gaping holes still exist in the research. We add to existing public management scholarship by: (1) examining whether and how value congruence affects an employee's affective organizational commitment; and (2) responding to recent calls for scholars to clarify the processes through which value congruence shapes employee attitudes and behavior. Drawing on dyadic data compiled on a sample of senior managers in US local governments, results indicate that value congruence is associated with higher levels of affective organizational commitment. Additionally, value congruence is even more important in instances when higher levels of goal ambiguity are present.Points for practitionersStudy findings have several practical implications for public managers. First, results indicate that managers must acknowledge and account for employees' perceptions of organizational goal ambiguity if they hope to retain employees. To this end, managers would do well to design goals in concert with their employees; the process of co-creating goals may help limit ambiguity. Second, managers must create robust communication systems that welcome disagreement and recognize the importance of effective dialogue on the nature of goals. Finally, managers should provide feedback on goals at regular intervals in order to help employees understand expectations.
Previous studies within and outside of the field of public administration consistently find positive organizational outcomes when there is high compatibility or fit between employees and organizations—a concept now widely known as person–organization fit. Previous public administration scholars have established the link between employees' person–organization fit perceptions and employee turnover intention. However, no previous study has examined whether there is a link with actual turnover. This study addresses this gap in the literature on public sector employee fit by examining the relationship between one particular type of fit—mission congruence—and public employee turnover. Using nationally representative data on public school teachers, we find that teachers in U.S. schools who perceive themselves to be compatible with their organizations' central mission are at least 11% more likely to remain at their current school. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for research and practice.
The application of psychometric statistical techniques, such as confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, has grown significantly in public administration research over the past three decades. Given the growth in the application of these techniques, we take stock of the ability of these statistical approaches to advance public administration theory by examining their use in two areas of research: public service motivation and red tape. We further argue that theoretical and methodological diversity in public administration is desirable, so long as scholars recognize that the application of new and multiple methods in a single study do not inherently lead to better tests of theory. Instead, scholarship should focus on emphasizing that each theoretical and methodological approach adds significant, yet partial, contribution to public administration scholarship.
In 1995, U.S. News and World Report ( U.S. News) released its first ranking of public affairs master's degree programs. The rankings have been conducted every 3 years since and have grown in importance to public policy and public administration programs. This study considers the history and background of ranking public policy and administration graduate programs, the rationale used by U.S. News, and the methodology used by U.S. News. This is followed by a longitudinal analysis of these rankings from 1995 to 2016. Findings are presented in a conceptual framework of academic rankings using concepts of equilibrium, specialization, diffusion of innovations, and institutional isomorphism. The implications of this framework and the findings of our analysis are spelled out for public affairs deans, directors, and faculty seeking to improve their ranking as well as those seeking to hold on to their present rankings.
