Public Sector Entrepreneurship Research Articles

Towards an evidence-based consensus on the impact of public sector entrepreneurship on public administration

Towards an evidence-based consensus on the impact of public sector entrepreneurship on public administration

State-Owned Entities in an African Emerging Market Context: The Role of Entrepreneurial Intensity and Capabilities in Performance

Research in public sector entrepreneurship is proliferating which indicates that it is viable for organisations operating within a government regulatory regime, such as in state-owned entities (SOEs). This study examined the extent to which entrepreneurial intensity and entrepreneurial capabilities influence the performance of SOEs, while moderating effects of the external environment on this relationship were analysed from an African emerging market perspective. Primary data was collected via a structured questionnaire from SOEs operating in South Africa. After checking for instrument validity and reliability, findings based on moderated regression analyses show that the degree and frequency of entrepreneurial events, as well as human capabilities, can predict improved performance. The originality and contribution of this study is highlighted in appreciating the role that entrepreneurial intensity and capabilities have on improving SOEs’ public responsiveness and financial performance in an emerging market context.

Taking stock of the trajectories of South Korea’s government-certified social enterprises: perspectives on a fluid semi-public sector model

PurposeThis study aims to assess the alignment of South Korea’s government-certified social enterprises (GCSEs) with prevailing social enterprise (SE) models, notably the entrepreneurial nonprofit, social cooperative and social business models delineated in the “Emergence of Social Enterprises in Europe” (Defourny and Nyssens, 2012, 2017a, 2017b) and the “principle of interest” frameworks (Defourny et al., 2021). Thereby, it seeks to situate these enterprises within recognized frameworks and elucidate their hybrid identities.Design/methodology/approachAnalyzing panel data from 2016 to 2020 for 259 GCSEs, this study uses tslearn for k-means clustering with dynamic time warping to assess their developmental trajectories and alignment with established SE models, which echoes the approach of Defourny et al. (2021). We probe the “fluid” identities of semi-public sector SEs, integrating Gordon’s (2013) notion that they tend to blend various SE traditions as opposed to existing in isolation.FindingsResults indicate that GCSEs do align with prevalent SE frameworks. Furthermore, they represent a spectrum of SE models, suggesting the versatility of the public sector in fostering diverse types of SEs.Originality/valueThe concept of a semi-public sector SE model has been relatively uncharted, even though it holds significance for research on SE typologies and public sector entrepreneurship literature. This study bridges this gap by presenting empirical evidence of semi-public SEs and delineating the potential paths these enterprises might take as they amalgamate various SE traditions.

A Scoping Review of Entrepreneurship in the Public Sector

Academic interest in public sector entrepreneurship has surged in recent decades. However, the research stream remains fragmented with little coherence or consistency. While this can be expected due to its nascent nature and due to variations in the sizes/duties of public sector institutions around the world, it also justifies the need for a review study providing synthesis and coherence. This paper seeks to fill this void. Using a systematic scoping review method, this article investigates the field of public sector entrepreneurship, exploring the evolution and performance of studies. It also includes a thematic delineation of the main research directions, and identifies knowledge gaps. We unpack the main research methodologies, most frequently studied countries, level of comparative or multi-study analyses , and most popular directions of research, among others. This paper provides a strong base for future research on the topic.

Public Entrepreneurship: A Literature Review

In many writings the concept of entrepreneurship is frequently associated with the private sector, and with small and medium sized enterprises, and start-ups. However, the public sector also frequently participates in entrepreneurial action, sometimes providing some of the most important services for the economy. Nowadays, the issue of Public Entrepreneurship need to get more attention by researchers, academicians and practitioners, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Because it helps to create value for the citizens of a state by bringing together unique combinations of public and/or private resources to exploit social opportunities, and provides many more advantages. At a minimum, public entrepreneurship involves the production, distribution, or innovation of goods/ services for the public. This makes it crucial to the lives of billions of people around the world. For example, entrepreneurial initiatives by public entities include the provision of health care services, water services, emergency services, transportation, and recycling/climate initiatives, among others. The purpose of this review work was to develop a literature review on the mission, key characteristics, types of public entrepreneurship, difference between public and private sector entrepreneurship, and public entrepreneurship strategy to overcome public sector barriers to entrepreneurship and come up with pertinent points. So, to carry on this review work, only 69 articles were chosen based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the reviewer.

The Entrepreneurial Public Servant: Unlocking Employee Potential Through Recognition and Inclusion

Can public sector employees act as entrepreneurs and help solve some of the world’s most pressing problems? Amid crises such as COVID-19, rising inflation, and climate disasters, governments worldwide are facing credibility and legitimacy crises, and the need for innovation and entrepreneurship in the public sector has never been more critical. To understand how to make public servants more entrepreneurial, this study explores the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices, person-environment fit theory, and attitudes toward public sector entrepreneurship. Based on data from the 2019 Australian Public Service census survey ( n = 92,128), this study finds the practices of promoting employee recognition and inclusion exhibit the strongest effects on entrepreneurial attitudes of public servants, via person-job and person-organization fit respectively. However, practices such as performance appraisal and trainings show irrelevant effects. Overall, this article suggests that public managers should instill a culture of inclusion, innovation, and participation within their organizations to unleash the entrepreneurial public servant, while they need to rethink their performance appraisal systems to serve better the purpose of improving employees fit with their tasks.

Forging a Local Social Economy: On the Institutional Work of Local Governments in South Korea

This study investigates the strategies local governments can employ to stimulate the growth of the local social economy sector—a sector associated with improving residents’ subjective well-being. Acknowledging the under-explored but potentially pivotal role of local government as a catalyst, our research uses an institutionalist lens—focusing on institutional work, support, and public-sector entrepreneurship—to examine how local governments can encourage the establishment of social economy organizations. We adopt a Partial Least Squares Model-Structural Equation Modeling approach to analyze data from 69 South Korean urban metropolitan local governments between 2018 and 2020. Our findings reveal a significant positive relationship between the regulatory, administrative, and intermediary support mechanisms implemented by local governments and the scale of the local social economy. By integrating public-sector entrepreneurship with institutional perspectives, our findings enrich existing literature and provide insight into the strategic initiatives local governments can adopt to foster social entrepreneurship.

Public Sector Entrepreneurship: Scientific Mapping and Research Agenda

Abstract Background and Purpose: The concept of entrepreneurship within the public sector is one of the most fiercely debated areas of entrepreneurial research. It has been studied across several academic disciplines such as in management, public administration and political economy, among others. However, while academic output has increased, we found no prior studies providing a clear mapping of the field. Therefore, this research sought to comprehensively examine all peer reviewed articles on public sector entrepreneurship. Methods: Using the Scopus scientific database, our analysis included 133 articles from 1982 to 2022. Following a thorough manual review process, we used VOSviewer to provide a mapping of the field, before identifying research gaps and suggesting directions for future research. Our scientific mapping revealed the leading and emerging thematic clusters in the field. Results: Our results revealed that the leading themes in public sector entrepreneurship include innovation, entrepreneurship, public sector, governance, reinventing government, and public organisations, while emerging trends include public health entrepreneurship, public health innovation, public choice, sustainability, and entrepreneurial orientation, among others. Conclusion: Our research provides useful insights to all researchers interested in examining entrepreneurship within the public sector or in non-profit organisations.

Comparing corporate governance practices of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa and Singapore

Research aims: This paper undertakes a cross-country comparative analysis of corporate governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa and Singapore, two countries using two different models for organising SOEs, with specific reference to agreement with the themes identified in the World Bank’s Framework for good Corporate Governance practices for SOEs. The aim of this paper is to identify differences and similarities in practice and to document how the states have fared using different models.Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper deploys a pragmatic mixed methods approach conducted in two phases, to understand the practices utilised by South African and Singaporean SOEs. The data emerging from these two phases, were compared to the Framework for good Corporate Governance practices for SOEs issued by the World Bank.Research findings: Findings suggest although South African SOEs have good corporate governance practices in place, Singaporean SOEs are better organised and governed compared with South African SOEsTheoretical contribution/Originality: This paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on SOEs in by expanding the discourse on public sector entrepreneurship and opening up new debates and research areas corporate governance of SOEs.

Bridging the void: how institutional entrepreneurship can overcome institutional voids in Indian public organisations

There is limited research on the role of institutional entrepreneurship in public organisations, especially in the context of institutional voids. The public sector entrepreneurs' engagement with regulatory, normative, and cultural-cognitive institutional voids in a developing economy is, therefore, examined using institutional work. Through an in-depth longitudinal case study of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in India, institutional creation and disruption processes are identified as interrelated means to address voids in this context. The boundary work supported promising entrepreneurs in challenging settings, whereas legitimacy work helped to spread change outside organisational boundaries. Insights into public sector entrepreneurship in developing countries are offered.

Public sector entrepreneurship, politics, and innovation

Public sector entrepreneurship, politics, and innovation

"THE CONGRUENCE EFFECTS OF CONFUCIAN AND WESTERN MANAGEMENT VALUES ON INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM THE KOREAN PUBLIC SECTOR"

"This study examines the effect on Korean public employees’ in-role performance and organizational performance of Confucian values and of two organizational management values developed in the West, specifically collective public service motivation-oriented (PSMO) management values and entrepreneurship-oriented (EO) management values. Using data from the Public Sector Entrepreneurship Survey the study finds that some Confucian values can enhance in-role and organizational performance in the Korean public sector, but others can have negative or no effects. The mixed results suggest that the relationship may be more complex than assumed and that some variables may mediate the effects. This has implications on how the positive effects of Confucian values on performance can be maximized while minimizing the negative effects. The collective PSMO and EO management values developed in the Western context both enhance in-role performance but only EO management values positive effects extend to organizational performance. Lastly, the study finds that the data does not support the hypothesized positive interaction effects between Confucian values and PSMO and EO management values and both in-role and organizational performance. More investigation is required to fully understand these interaction effects."

Public research and the quality of inventions: the role and impact of entrepreneurial universities and regional network embeddedness

The positive effect of public research on industrial innovations is beyond controversy: public research institutions produce knowledge that is subsequently transferred into product and process innovations by private businesses. Besides this rather passive role in commercializing inventions, public research institutions may also proactively exploit new knowledge through public sector entrepreneurship activities. Especially entrepreneurial universities are perceived as a conduit of knowledge spillovers; they serve as central actors of innovation networks and stimulate network activities. Whereas the linkages between network embeddedness and innovation activities have been largely explored, the determinants of patent quality in terms of radicalness, originality, and generality remain rather unclear. Considering Germany’s diverse public research infrastructure (universities, polytechnics, and non-university research institutes), our findings reveal that the type of institution and the corresponding scientific orientation (basic vs applied research) matter for the quality of inventions. The centrality of respective institutions within innovation networks reinforces the radicalness of inventions. However, we do not find support for the general assumption that an entrepreneurial orientation of public sector entities augments the quality of inventions. We conclude the paper with policy recommendations and with future avenues of research.Plain English Summary This study explores the relation between network embeddedness, scientific orientation, entrepreneurial orientation, and the quality of inventions of public research. Our results imply that a basic research focus induces inventions that are more radical, and a more central network position reinforces the production of more radical, original, and general patents. In contrast, an entrepreneurial orientation does not seem to stimulate a higher quality of inventions. Our results give impetus to nuanced public sector entrepreneurship policies that take the type of institution and the optimal level of regional embeddedness into account. A sole focus on the entrepreneurial transformation of public research institutes may not be sufficient to leverage the full potential of knowledge created therein. Instead, more support and guidance for creating links with other network entities is needed along with incentives to commercialize new knowledge.

BRIDGING THE VOID: HOW INSTITUTIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CAN OVERCOME INSTITUTIONAL VOIDS IN INDIAN PUBLIC ORGANISATIONS

There is limited research on the role of institutional entrepreneurship in public organisations, especially in the context of institutional voids. The public sector entrepreneurs’ engagement with regulatory, normative, and cultural-cognitive institutional voids in a developing economy is, therefore, examined using institutional work. Through an in-depth longitudinal case study of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in India, institutional creation and disruption processes are identified as interrelated means to address voids in this context. The boundary work supported promising entrepreneurs in challenging settings, whereas legitimacy work helped to spread change outside organisational boundaries. Insights into public sector entrepreneurship in developing countries are offered.

Public sector entrepreneurial orientation in South Africa: a focus on organisational boundaries, strategy and resources

Recognising the gap in the literature on public sector entrepreneurship in emerging markets, hypotheses are formulated to explain the influence of specific organisational antecedents on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) at municipalities in South Africa. Correlational and regression analyses are used to test the hypotheses. Findings show that the organisational antecedents of organisational strategy, boundaries and resources explain a significant amount of variation in the EO dimensions of innovativeness, pro-activeness and risk taking. The findings provide a meaningful understanding of an important topic in entrepreneurship as they apply to the South African public sector context. The study adds to the literature by providing causal links between specific organisational antecedents and the EO dimensions. A systematic understanding of organisational antecedents and EO in the public sector context is important not only for academic purposes but also because the subject has salience for managers and policy makers.

Diretrizes de Educação em Empreendedorismo no Setor Público: a Perspectiva das Escolas de Governo

Objective: In the evolution process of Public Administration, the Government Schools have a preponderant role in reinvigorating the skills of civil servants who will have to deal with the transversal theme of entrepreneurship. Thus, this study aims to analyze the extent to which the Government Schools investigated potential guidelines for entrepreneurship education in the public sector.Method: An empirical qualitative-exploratory study was carried out, involving the multiple case study method, with three renowned Brazilian Government Schools of the executive branch at the three federative levels as the locus. In-depth interviews, guided by script, recorded, and transcribed, were carried out with the strategic representatives of these institutions, generating a corpus of textual analysis treated by the IRAMUTEQ software with the appropriate content analysis.Results: Developing entrepreneurship education guidelines in the public sector based on context constructs (macro, meso and micro); in the profile of the civil servant (student); entrepreneurial education; in the legal and regulatory framework; the adequacy of the infrastructure and the competence of the facilitator (teacher).Originality / Relevance: Analogously to a mix of educational planning instruments, there is a possibility to systematize educative training actions there are capable of favoring specific entrepreneurial andragogy for public employees.Theoretical / Methodological Contributions: Importance of demystifying the theme of entrepreneurship in the public sector, as well as observance of the role of Government Schools in the staff of modern and effective public management.Social / Managerial Contributions: Greater guarantees for generating public value through intrapreneurship that would re-signify the intra-organizational processes of government bodies.Keywords: Government Schools; Public Sector Entrepreneurship; Intrapreneurship; Entrepreneurship Education; Software Iramuteq.

Entrepreneurship Education Guidelines in the Public Sector: The perspective of government schools

Objective: In the evolution process of Public Administration, the Government Schools have a preponderant role in reinvigorating the skills of civil servants who will have to deal with the transversal theme of entrepreneurship. Thus, this study aims to analyze the extent to which the Government Schools investigated potential guidelines for entrepreneurship education in the public sector. Method: An empirical qualitative-exploratory study was carried out, involving the multiple case study method, with three renowned Brazilian Government Schools of the executive branch at the three federative levels as the locus. In-depth interviews, guided by script, recorded, and transcribed, were carried out with the strategic representatives of these institutions, generating a corpus of textual analysis treated by the IRAMUTEQ software with the appropriate content analysis. Results: Developing entrepreneurship education guidelines in the public sector based on context constructs (macro, meso and micro); in the profile of the civil servant (student); entrepreneurial education; in the legal and regulatory framework; the adequacy of the infrastructure and the competence of the facilitator (teacher). Originality / Relevance: Analogously to a mix of educational planning instruments, there is a possibility to systematize educative training actions there are capable of favoring specific entrepreneurial andragogy for public employees. Theoretical / Methodological Contributions: Importance of demystifying the theme of entrepreneurship in the public sector, as well as observance of the role of Government Schools in the staff of modern and effective public management. Social / Managerial Contributions: Greater guarantees for generating public value through intrapreneurship that would re-signify the intra-organizational processes of government bodies. Keywords: Government Schools; Public Sector Entrepreneurship; Intrapreneurship; Entrepreneurship Education; Software Iramuteq.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET ADJUSTMENT AS A TOOL TO FOSTER INNOVATIONS IN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

The nature of the entrepreneurial behaviour exhibition within public organisations has become an important theoretical perspective in public management research. Based on the literature review in this domain we derive that prior research goes beyond the public sector entrepreneurship, providing the implication of corporate entrepreneurship concept in the public domain, excluding such an important tool as entrepreneurial mindset formation. However, the cognitive processes of the “entrepreneurial” element incorporation into public organisations are still needed to be addressed. We focus on the assessment of the legitimacy of the entrepreneurial mindset adjustment in the public context, emphasising reasoning and causality relationships of entrepreneurial behaviour manifestation with respect to the likelihood to be engaged in innovation. We introduce the framework of the entrepreneurial mindset formation in public organisation as an effective toolkit to foster innovation activity. Identifying determinants of the entrepreneurial mindset and its corresponding implications in the public context, we conceptualise revealed relationships within introduced framework into propositions, we also provide some clues for further its testing discussing directions for future research.

Kapasitas Bisnis Pemerintah Desa dalam Perspektif Business-Government Relationship Pasca Implementasi Otonomi Desa di Indonesia (Kasus di Kabupaten Banyumas)

The Indonesian Governments policies after the implementation of village autonomy are directed to villages business development. Village governments duties and functions are not only related to administrative matters anymore, but also in operation of villages business. This shows that there is a developing business commitment in Indonesia. The research result shows that the Business-Government Relationship in Indonesia has changed from one way to mutual interaction, as shown with the development of Public Sector Entrepreneurship and business commitment in village government environment. Both factors evidently improve the capacity of business, which begins to be developed by the Indonesian Government at all levels. The development of Public Sector Entrepreneurship is shown with the business creativity, business cooperation, and professionalism of village government in governments business management. Meanwhile, local governments business commitment is shown with support of policies, funding and human resources in governments business management. Governments business capacity is shown with efficiency, effectiveness and economy (value for money) achieved by governments business unit. In Indonesia, particularly in Banyumas Regency, village autonomy has given opportunity for the development of Business-Government Relationship at local level.

Entrepreneurship in public organizations: the role of leadership behavior

Despite increasing research on entrepreneurship in the private sector, little is known about entrepreneurship in public organizations in general and the effects of leadership behavior on entrepreneurship in the public sector in particular. Utilizing new data from the Australian Public Service Commission (2017), this study analyzes how three leadership behaviors—task-oriented, relations-oriented, and change-oriented leadership—affect public sector employees’ entrepreneurship behavior. The results of this study show that while all three types of leadership behavior are positively associated with public sector entrepreneurship, the effect is larger for relations-oriented leadership, followed by change-oriented leadership. A practical implication of this study is that relations-oriented leadership behavior is crucial to entrepreneurship in public organizations, suggesting the importance of developing relationships with subordinates.