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This article explores whether union commitment dampens public sector job satisfaction. By examining the connection between union commitment and two workplace attributes that are presumed to be more prevalent in public sector workplaces—perceptions of higher red tape and greater public service motivation—this article develops three hypotheses exploring the direct and indirect relationships between union commitment and public sector job satisfaction. The findings from a series of structural equation models indicate that union commitment directly increases members' job satisfaction, but it more prominently increases members' job satisfaction indirectly by reducing perceived red tape and enhancing public service motivation.

This study examines whether public sector unionization encourages members to perceive more red tape in the work organization. Using the concepts of union socialization, commitment to union values, and stakeholder red tape, I develop and test a theoretical model that accounts for the direct and indirect effects of union socialization on member perceptions of red tape. The results from a series of structural equation models suggest that more socialized members perceive more red tape and are more likely to commit to union values. However, more committed union members perceive less red tape within the work organization. As such, the increase in perceived red tape because of union socialization is partially mitigated by member commitment to union values.  Although interaction between union members may alert employees to negative components of the work environment, commitment to union values encourages members to perceive organizational rules as necessary protections of employee rights.

This study examines whether the norms and values of labor unions contradict public service motivation (PSM). Using Perry and Wise's conceptualization of (PSM) this article tests four hypotheses by analyzing both quantitative data drawn from the employees of a large metropolitan city and qualitative data drawn from semistructured interviews conducted in two large Midwestern cities. I expect that as employees become socialized into union membership, they will increasingly identify with rational, affective, and normative union motives. The quantitative findings suggest that union socialization is associated with lower compassion, higher self-sacrifice, and greater commitment to the public interest. Union socialization is unrelated to attraction to policy making. This study supports the hypotheses that unions shape members' motives through the socialization process. I rebut the argument that public sector union members are solely self-interested, but the findings suggest that union socialization can undermine one's feelings of compassion.

AbstractOver the past 30 years, red tape has emerged as a key concept in public management. Yet, researchers continue to debate the relative merits of system‐centric versus individual‐centric approaches. In this article, we articulate an individual‐centric psychological process theory, a theory that confronts the 'modularity assumption' relegating the subjective individual experience as inconsequential in much red tape research. We theorize that the appraisal mechanism influences the meaning attached to external compliance demands. Our process theory advances the claim that experience, emotion, and expectancy influence one's perceptions of, and behavioral response to, red tape. Thus, compliance expectations in rules are informed by other social demands embedded in roles, identities, and collective interests in ways that influence the perceived legitimacy of rules and the compliance burdens they impose. The psychological process theory offers a holistic perspective on red tape by treating the subjective individual experience as consequential for understanding red tape.

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.

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.