Public Personnel Research Articles

Using Generative Artificial Intelligence in Exams: A Research on KPSS with ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI that uses generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) algorithms for natural language processing (NLP) tasks. It is a popular Chatbot due to its impressive ability to respond consistently to users' various prompts. In this study, the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) questions, organized by ÖSYM (Turkish Student Selection and Placement Center) every year, were asked to ChatGPT, and its performance was evaluated. The evaluation was made based on fundamental text questions asked in the last three years (2021-2023) in Biology, History, Geography, Turkish Language Literature, and Social Studies in KPSS. This study also aims to investigate the accuracy and reliability of the questions asked to ChatGPT in the field of KPSS educational sciences. According to the research results, ChatGPT's KPSS knowledge and interpretation skills are significantly lower than the university graduate candidates who took the exam. Some suggestions are included for better Chatbot performance, more effective prompt engineering and ethical use of these tools.

Effects of loneliness and depression on pre-service teachers’ self-esteem: a mixed method study

ABSTRACT The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationships between depression, self-esteem, and loneliness among Turkish pre-service teachers. The study emphasized that it is valuable to address psychological well-being and social support of students preparing for the Public Personnel Selection Examination (PPSE). The study, which was a sequential explanatory design, included 322 college of education students. The quantitative results indicated that there was a strong correlation between depression, self-esteem, and loneliness scores. Depression significantly predicted self-esteem. When depression scores increased, self-esteem scores decreased. Furthermore, the findings indicated that individuals who had higher self-esteem scores, had lower loneliness scores. Qualitative results showed that time management, test anxiety, and performance-related issues were among the difficulties encountered during PPSE preparation. The results of the current study demonstrated the significance of emphasizing social support, useful coping mechanisms, and attending to students’ psychological and emotional health during high-stakes exams such as the PPSE.

Investigation of Candidate Teachers' Early Teacher Identity with Public Personnel Selection Examination Anxiety Levels

In this research aims to examine the candidate teacher's identity with Public Personnel Selection Examination (PPSE) anxiety levels. The research included 302 candidate physical education teachers (140 female and 162 male) aged between 21 and 28 (23.95±1.54). “Personal Information Form,” “Early Teacher Identity Scale (ETIS),” and “Public Personnel Selection Examination Anxiety Level Scale (PPSEALS)” were used as data collection tools in the research. According to the data obtained from the research, there was no significant correlation between the candidate teachers' PPSEALS scores and the ETIS scores. A significant difference existed between candidate teachers' grade levels with PPSEALS scores and ETIS scores. Compared to 3rd-grade and graduate students, 4th-grade students scored higher on the PPSEALS and ETIS. Although there was a significant difference between PPSEALS scores according to gender, there was no significant difference in terms of ETIS scores. According to this, women have higher PPSEALS scores compared to men. According to academic achievement status, no significant difference was found between the scores of PPSEALS and ETIS. The results obtained from the research revealed that candidate teachers have PPSE anxiety at a medium level and teacher Identity perception at a high level. As a result, it can be said that 4th-grade students' high perception of teacher identity leads to higher levels of test anxiety.

Relationship Between Agriculture and Forestry Workers, Authentic Leadership, and Organizational Commitment

This study examines the relationships between authentic leadership perceptions and organizational commitment levels of public personnel working in the agriculture and forestry sector. Within the scope of this research, surveys consisting of ready-made scales were used. The authentic leadership scale is a scale consisting of four dimensions and 16 items. The answers given to the surveys were interpreted using the SPSS package program. When the results of the research are evaluated in general; It appears that the perception of authentic leadership has a significant effect on organizational commitment. Looking at the demographic results; According to gender, it has been determined that men have more authentic leadership perceptions than women. According to education level; It appears that authentic leadership perception and organizational commitment do not differ. When examining whether employees’ authentic leadership perceptions and organizational commitments vary according to their age; It is seen that the perception of authentic leadership and organizational commitment differ according to age. While employees between the ages of 36 and 40 have higher perceptions of authentic leadership; Organizational commitment of those between the ages of 41 and 45 was higher.

Exploring factors influencing sustainable human capital development: Insights from Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the critical factors influencing Saudi Arabia's sustainable human capital development. It primarily aims to explore the correlations among the postulated variables and how each variable influences the development of a skilled, adaptable, and socially conscious workforce, in alignment with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030. This study utilizes a quantitative approach, employing partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the data collected from 203 public personnel in Saudi Arabia through an online questionnaire. The findings reveal that training, community engagement, institutional support, and technology integration are essential in sustainable human capital development. However, learning, education, and access to resources were not statistically significant and did not improve sustainable human capital development in Saudi Arabia. The findings underscore the significance of an educational framework that transcends traditional perspectives, focusing on not only academic preparation but also the holistic development of individuals. This study contributes to understanding how training, community engagement, institutional support, and technology integration are transformative in shaping the future of Saudi Arabia by nurturing a skilled, adaptable, and socially responsible citizenry.

Unraveling influential factors shaping employee cybersecurity behaviors: an empirical investigation of public servants in Vietnam

PurposeGovernment employees must comply with policies on information security regulations, online security practices, social networking usage, internet addiction, online cyberthreats and other related habits. These activities are considered cybersecurity behaviors. Government social media (GSM) accounts are increasingly used to educate employees about cybersecurity risks. To support the effectiveness of cybersecurity practices in government organizations, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of GSM and organizational policy compliance on employees’ cybersecurity awareness, motivation and behaviors.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained by administering a questionnaire survey to public personnel in Vietnam. A total of 330 valid responses were obtained, and the research hypotheses were tested using partial least squares–structural equation modeling.FindingsFirst, cybersecurity awareness enhances information protection motivation and employee protective behavior. Second, GSM has positive impacts on cybersecurity knowledge and information protection motivation. Third, there is a strong positive association between information protection motivation and employee protective behavior. Finally, while organizational compliance significantly increases cybersecurity awareness, its impact on employee protective behavior is ind irect.Originality/valueThis research enhances the literature on the behavioral dimension of cybersecurity. The primary objective of this study is to assess the influence of cybersecurity awareness on protective behaviors rather than intents and attitudes alone. Furthermore, this research integrates protection motivation theory and cultivation theory to provide a more thorough assessment of cybersecurity awareness and protective behavior. By investigating the impact of GSM on the level of cybersecurity awareness among employees within government organizations, this study provides valuable insights into the efficacy of recent governmental initiatives aimed at fostering cybersecurity.

Post‐pandemic public personnel retention: A person‐organization and person‐supervisor fit analysis

AbstractThis study examines person/organization and person/supervisor fit of public administration professionals in the context of hybrid work. A three‐phase study was conducted among 411 public professionals in Quebec. Results show that person/organization and person/supervisor fit have declined over time, and that satisfaction with hybrid work played a role in this decline. Person/organization fit affects intention to stay with the public organization. These results show the importance for public organizations to take employees' needs, values and expectations into account to increase satisfaction with the hybrid work experience and foster the retention of public service employees in a post‐pandemic era.

Predicting Public Personnel Selection Examination Achievement: A Data Mining Approach

This research investigates the predictive variables related to the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS), utilized for recruitment in public institutions and organizations. The study explores predictor variables' importance levels by analysing longitudinal data, including examinees' high-stakes exams, demographic information, and educational backgrounds. It compares the prediction performances of machine learning algorithms such as artificial neural networks, random forest, support vector machine, and k-nearest neighbour. The findings reveal that the quantitative test of the graduate education exam is the most influential predictor, closely followed by the mathematics test of the university entrance exam. These results highlight the importance of quantitative reasoning skills in predicting KPSS achievement. Additionally, variables related to undergraduate programs and universities demonstrate significant importance in predicting KPSS achievement. Notably, the artificial neural networks model demonstrates superior predictive accuracy compared to other models, indicating its effectiveness in KPSS prediction. This research sheds light on important predictors of KPSS achievement and provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of different prediction models.

Application Levels Of Urban Transformation Methods In Zoning Planning Studies

Urban transformation strategies should be included in zoning plan revisions in order to take precautions against disasters caused by natural events such as earthquake-resistant building stock, floods and landslides, and to meet sustainable urban requirements. Carrying out these studies by public institutions, which are in the position of preparing and implementing the law, will ensure that the correct zoning plans are prepared and will also result in the cities reaching the necessary transformation targets. In this study, it is aimed to select the appropriate urban regeneration methods that will enable the solutions of the problems of the cities and the necessary revisions to be made and to determine the level of reflectivity of urban regeneration studies to the zoning plans in terms of their current applications. In this context, questions were asked to public personnel who urban transformation law implementers and researchers through expert opinion form are. The answers received from the experts were analysed according to the frequency and percentage values given in tables and the answers to the questions about the degree of importance were analysed according to the 5-point Likert scale and the degree of importance was determined.

Public Personnel in Terms of Current Problems and Solution Suggestions in the Turkish Administrative System

Kamu kurum veya kuruluşlarda, kamusal mal veya hizmetin ifasında bulunmak üzere, kendine özgü mevzuata uygun olarak görevlendirilen kamu personeli, idari sistemin de önemli bir parçasını oluşturmaktadır. Ancak bir taraftan kurumun insan kaynağı olarak, bir taraftan da kamu hizmeti ve yararına çalışan olarak yönetiminde karşılaşılan çeşitli sorunlar olabilmektedir. Bu genellemeye, Türk idare sistemine özgü durumların da etkisini katmak gerekir. Buna göre çalışmanın amacı Türk kamu personelinin yönetiminde yapısal sorunların yanı sıra, hukuki ve uygulama sorunlarının belirlenmesi ve çözüm önerilerinin sunulmasıdır. Ancak bu sorunları Devlet memuru, işçi ve sözleşmeli personel statülerine göre de gruplandırabilmek mümkün olmakla birlikte çalışmada, Türk kamu personeli toplamı içinde önemli bir çoğunluğa sahip olan Devlet memurlarına ilişkin sorunlar üzerinde durulmuştur. Dolayısıyla mevzuat olarak ta Devlet Memurları Kanunu esas alınmıştır. Bununla birlikte uygulamada karşılaşılan sorunlar incelenirken, diğer personele ilişkin bilgiler de verilmiştir. Çalışmada yöntem olarak konuyla ilgili bilimsel eserler taranmış ve ilgili mevzuat incelenmiştir. Buna göre Türk kamu personeline ilişkin sorunlar, personel yönetim ilkeleri, sınıflandırma ve istihdamdan başlayıp, ücretleme, ödülleme, yükselme ile hak ve yükümlülüklere kadar genişletilebilmektedir. Bu sorunlara ilişkin çözüm önerileri de bu konulara göre yapılmış, en uygun ve en uygulanabilir olanlar tercih edilmiştir.

Public Sector Collective Bargaining: A Meta-Review

Public sector labor unions and their commitment to collective bargaining are central to the study of public sector human resource management. This study explores collective bargaining scholarship in the United States as exemplified in the public administration literature. Systematically coding 220 articles from the top fifteen (mainstream) peer-reviewed public administration journals over a period of 50 years (1970–2020), this study examines how public sector collective bargaining is framed and conceptualized in public administration research, identifying, and studying the dimensions of public sector collective bargaining research in the United States. The primary purpose of this article is to map trends and gaps in local, state, and federal public sector collective bargaining scholarship, which is an essential public personnel function in need of further academic attention. It is also hoped that this study could stimulate future research into public sector collective bargaining.

Chemistry Teaching Departments’ Current Situation from the Perspective of Prospective Chemistry Teachers: A Case Study

This study aims to investigate the opinions of prospective chemistry teachers (PCTs) regarding the chemistry teaching department. In this qualitative research, 47 PCTs participated and the data were collected via an opinion form and focus group interviews. In the end, it was found that the PCTs preferred the department willingly, the intrinsic factors mainly shaped their preferences. Additionally, if they had a second chance they expressed that they would prefer different departments related to health like nursing, and pharmacy. Appointing in the Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS in Turkish) is prominent for them in the post-graduation period if not they have different plans. Correspondingly, the most intense feeling about this period they have is fear. In the end, they criticized the current undergraduate chemistry teaching curriculum and complained about it. They anticipated modifications both in the distribution and the context of the courses. In the end it was seen that they emphasized that they wanted more chemistry based professional knowledge courses.

Why Is Outsourcing Good for Some Employees and Bad for Others? How Demands and Resources Moderate the Outcome

Research on public sector outsourcing primarily focuses on costs and quality, whereas studies investigating the consequences for personnel exposed to outsourcing are scarce. Based on increased competition and private ownership, this study hypothesizes that outsourcing negatively affects employee job engagement and burnout, with more adverse consequences when job demands are high and resources are limited. With unique survey and administrative data, the study compares outcomes for outsourced employees and public employees in similar jobs. The analysis shows that outsourced employees have significantly lower engagement and higher burnout, while further analysis shows that outsourced employees are worse off when job demands are high but equally or less affected when job demands are low. Finally, the analysis shows that outsourcing has significant, adverse consequences for less resourceful employees. The results advance our understanding of how outsourcing influences public personnel and highlights the uneven distribution of consequences across employees.

Problems of the Public Personnel Administration in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study

The basic function of any government is to provide various types of services and facilities to its citizens. The quality of services and facilities greatly depends on how satisfied government employees are, which mainly depends on varies factor i.e., the way they are paid and allocated, how quickly they are promoted, how well they are trained, etc. Well payments and better facilities for the govt. employers inspire them to provide better service delivery for citizens. The findings of this study demonstrate that there are various types of problems and challenges in Bangladesh's public sector personnel administration. The civil service recruitment system is criticized because of its lengthy process, too much politicization in recruitment and police verification, etc. Promotional system is criticized as practice of biasness, partisanship, manipulation in ACR, etc. The training systems of govt. Personnel administration is found dissatisfactory as these training isn’t up to the mark, also the training content don't appear to bring advancement in the service. Additionally, training programs are don’t meet international standards due to the content and master trainer involvement, also there are lack of facilities to receive international training. Promotion or career advancement in the public sector rests more on seniority and interventions from peers and canvassers than it does on continued skill improvement and qualification attainment. By completing the recruitment process in a timely manner, rationalizing the pay structure, promoting on merit, and updating training, we can achieve modern, improved, qualified personnel administration in the public sector in Bangladesh that is capable of providing people with fast, efficient, effective, and better public service delivery.

Identification of Public Service Logic (PSL) and Public Service Motivation (PSM) elements in Open Government Data (OGD) initiatives

AbstractWhile previous research on Open Government Data (OGD) has primarily focused on reuse and adoption, this study aims to explore the implications of the Public Service Logic (PSL) and Public Service Motivation (PSM) dimensions in the context of OGD initiatives. This study is contextualized in Tanzania wherein the OGD initiatives are at an evolving stage. For the present study, the perspectives of the 15 public officials involved in the management of the OGD initiatives are being solicited. Findings underscore the need for furthering the marketing and refurbishing the OGD initiatives' quality alongside the increased involvement of the stakeholders to engage in value co‐creation. Furthermore, as a study contextualized in a developing country to understand the involvement of the public personnel in the refurbishment of the OGD initiatives, the study contributes to the extant OGD literature while identifying the OGD publisher‐side challenges and strengths in a still‐evolving OGD initiative. Finally, with its societal implications in terms of the impact on societal stakeholders' engagement with OGD given the PSL‐PSM of the public officials, the study's relevance is also clinched.

Thank you to the Review of Public Personnel Administration Community

Thank you to the <i>Review of Public Personnel Administration</i> Community

Turkish Public Personnel Management and the Effect of the Presidential Human Resources Office on Human Capital

Kamu personel yönetimi, modern devlet anlayışında kamu yönetiminin çok önemli bir yönünü ifade etmektedir. Kamu personel yönetimi, kamu örgütlenmelerindeki insanlarla ilgili olan tüm faaliyetlerle ilişkilidir. Buradan hareketle bir kamu örgütünün hedef ve amaçları doğrultusundaki eylemlerinin istenilen şekilde sonuçlanabilmesi personel yönetiminin etkin ve verimli bir şekilde ifa edilmesiyle doğrudan ilişkili olduğu söylenebilir. Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, Osmanlı Devletinden büyük ölçüde tevarüs eden kamu personel yönetimi anlayışını zamanla dünya üzerindeki değişimlerden de etkilenerek geliştirmeye çalışmıştır. Sırasıyla İkinci Cihan Harbi, çok partili dönemin başlangıcı, askeri darbeler ve Neoliberal politikaların dünya üzerindeki etkileri gibi dönüm noktaları Türk kamu personel yönetimini en azından düşün boyutunda oldukça etkilemiştir. Nihayet 2018 yılında uygulamaya konulan Cumhurbaşkanlığı Hükümet Sistemi ile birlikte Türk kamu yönetiminde yeni bir aktör olan İnsan Kaynakları Ofisi ihdas edilerek, personel yönetiminden insan kaynakları anlayışına geçişisin örgütsel boyutu da somutlaştırılmıştır. Ofisin, üstlendiği görev ve sorumluluklar ve geliştirdiği projelerin içinde bulunduğumuz yüzyılın daha fazla yatırım yapılması gereken beşeri sermayeye olan etkisi en azından planlamalar ve hayata geçirilen projeler bakımından önem arz etmektedir.

Identification of the Precautions to Minimize the Occurrence of Disputes Leading to Litigation: Evidence from Turkish Construction Industry

The litigation process is notorious for being long, costly and deteriorating business relations although the majority of construction contracts resort to litigation in case of any dispute. For this reason, it is very important to settle disputes in construction projects before applying for the litigation process to preserve the sustainable structure of the construction industry. Identification of precautions to reduce the number of disputes leading to litigation is crucial as it can help prevent project failures, minimize legal costs, and improve overall stakeholder satisfaction in the construction industry. Therefore, this study aims to identify solutions to diminish the disputes resulting in the litigation process in the Turkish construction industry. To achieve this goal, semi-structured interviews with 50 lawyers experienced in construction-related cases in Turkey were conducted. The data obtained from the interviewees were analyzed via content analysis to identify the common themes. Later, detected common themes were categorized in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) by 15 experts selected in accordance with the purpose sampling method. Afterwards, Fuzzy AHP method was conducted with the data gathered from the 15 experts to determine the significance of each theme. This study revealed numerous crucial solutions to diminish the disputes resulting in lawsuits in the Turkish construction industry. Firstly, to prevent disputes and defective products, it is essential to increase the effectiveness of the auditing system and disseminate and legalize alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods as well as oblige the construction firms to have certification. Additionally, careful examination of citizens' petitions and timely and impartial approach by officials to citizens' problems can prevent conflicts from escalating. Furthermore, to improve the qualifications of officers, public personnel exams in accordance with the concerning expertise area are to be conducted.

Perceived Fairness of Teacher Selection Process in Turkey

This paper uniquely applies organisational justice theory to the teacher selection process and analyses the interview method in a centralised, heavily competitive context, with a non-autonomous selection process. Regression analysis indicated that the variables procedural justice, interactional justice, public personnel selection examination score, interview score, being hired, gender, and branch have a significant relationship with distributive justice perceptions. Furthermore, the teacher selection interview method was perceived as unjust and unfair; it is subjective to influential contacts and favouritism, ignores candidates’ labour and efforts by simply disqualifying most, and has poor reliability and validity structure.

Eğitim Felsefesinde Vatandaşlık Düşüncesini Temellendiren Hukuksal Düzlemin İncelenmesi

In this study, it is aimed to examine the legal plane that bases the idea of citizenship in the philosophy of education. In the context of educational philosophy, the issue of Decadence, which appears in opposition to the concept of order within the framework of citizenship thought, is among the most prominent fears as one of the components that are at the heart of Western political philosophy. Political thinkers have resorted to some methods to prevent human life from being dragged into chaos by grappling with the problem of order in a long-term period that has continued from theories related to the social contract in the seventeenth century to today. The rule of law is a constitutional principle that seems to be valued to the extent of sanctity wherever it is in countries governed by the principles of democracy. The main component of this is the principle that the understanding of law should be in the administration; the citizen is included in the understanding of the rule of law, and no person and public personnel can remain outside of it. The understanding of the rule of law has a long-term history in a principled sense, and this understanding stems from libertarian legal theories. In this sense, social scientists have maintained this understanding in the linearity that has come down to our day. In its original sense, the term right refers to the power and power as it is in the divine rights of nobility, clergy and, of course, kings. Together with this, the term is used in modern times in the sense of the right and authority to be subject to reciprocity and to be able to perform acts in an appropriate manner. Although it does not seem possible to state that there is a global acceptance of the idea of rights, many contemporary political thinkers have not found any problem in stating their idea in terms of the concept of rights and authority. In this context, rights, Decencies and social justice have been among the issues that need to be discussed less than other political terms. However, there is less consensus on the basis on which rights are based and who should have what kind of rights. Key Words: Philosophy of Education, Citizenship Thought, Legal Plane, Social Rights