Public Sector Organizations Research Articles

Adoption of AI by the HR function in the civil service

PurposeThis paper uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to assess the readiness of the HR function within the UK Civil Service (CSHR) to implement AI to support performance. Academic literature in relation to AI acceptance in HR functions is currently limited, so this paper aims to establish a better understanding of the current landscape and level of ambition in this area.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research approach was adopted to determine likely behavioral intentions of workers in the human resource (HR)function if AI were implemented, by investigating key aspects of the TAM (the perceived usefulness of AI and the transparency of the CSHR in adopting AI).FindingsWhile the results suggest that the CSHR is not ready to harness AI opportunities, employees were personally ready, despite perceiving a lack of sufficient knowledge in this area. The paper identifies that more time needs to be spent on raising awareness and upskilling the HR function before the CS can be considered fully ready to harness these opportunities.Originality/valueThe penetration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into the global workforce brings transformative potential to the governance structures and use of digital platforms in public sector organizations. AI is likely to play a role in the operation of HR functions and influence how they might operate in the near future.

The impact of sports technology policy in Taiwan: the transformation of relevant organisational and stakeholder relationships

ABSTRACT Taiwan, renowned for its high-tech industrial development, and exemplified by its semiconductor industry, serves as the focal point of this study, which examines the transformative effects and challenges arising from the integration of technology and the formulation of sports technology policies within the elite sports landscape. Employing Actor Network Theory (ANT) as the research framework, a combination of semi-structured interviews involving 15 participants engaged in technology implementation in sports, along with supplementary document analysis, was undertaken. The findings highlight the influence of both domestic and international trends on the Taiwanese Government, which recognises ‘sports technology’ as a pivotal factor in enhancing athletic performance. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has spearheaded endeavours to introduce technology into the sports realm, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among universities, academia, and industry. Moreover, the Executive Yuan has advocated for inter-ministerial collaboration to facilitate resource integration. How various stakeholders, particularly those in the public sector, private sector, academia, and non-profit sports organisations, can collaboratively sustain an operational and stable network remains a persistent concern in the pursuit of future advancements in sports technology.

Reasons for HR analytics adoption in public sector organisations: evidence from Swedish public administrations

Reasons for HR analytics adoption in public sector organisations: evidence from Swedish public administrations

Assessing the Efficacy of Public Procurement Policy and Legal Framework To Combat Corruption in Selected Regions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Public procurement policies and legal frameworks play a crucial role in shaping the transparency, fairness, and integrity of government transactions. This paper examines and evaluates the effectiveness of public procurement policies and legal structures in addressing and mitigating corruption in selected regions within the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Drawing on a comprehensive review of relevant literature, case studies, and expert opinions, this research aims to provide insights into the existing framework’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential improvements. The main emphasis of this research paper is to assess public procurement policy design and the effectiveness of measures including regulations aimed at combating corruption in the Western Cape’s public sector in South Africa. Public procurement regulations are widely implemented in various governmental institutions around the world. Data were collected from twenty-five public sector organizations in the Western Cape province, South Africa, using three data collection methods: interviews, surveys, and document analysis of procurement policies and guidelines. The study’s key findings demonstrated that a fragmented legal and policy framework is complex and opens avenues of corrupt practices and maladministration. The paper fills the gap in scholarly research by exploring how corrupt practices can be reduced by implementing and operationalising robust, flexible, and outcome-based legal and policy frameworks. This paper contributed to the body of knowledge by making policymakers and implementers aware of the pitfalls of a fragmented and misaligned policy framework in public procurement.

Impact of Human Capital and Structural Capital on Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Indonesian Provincial Government Institutions

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of human capital, structural capital, and knowledge management on competitive advantage within the North Sulawesi Provincial Government, Indonesia. It aims to understand whether knowledge management mediates the relationship between human capital, structural capital, and competitive advantage in the context of public sector organizations. Theoretical Reference: The research is grounded in the Knowledge-Based View (KBV) theory, which postulates that knowledge is a critical resource for competitive advantage. It also explores the role of intellectual capital (human and structural capital) as sources of knowledge and their interplay with knowledge management. Method: A quantitative approach was utilized, involving 147 public officers from seven departments under the North Sulawesi Provincial Government. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 3.0 software. Results and Conclusion: The findings indicate that: Human capital positively impacts competitive advantage. Structural capital does not directly influence competitive advantage but has a significant effect through the mediation of knowledge management. Knowledge management positively affects competitive advantage and mediates the relationship between structural capital and competitive advantage. However, it does not mediate the relationship between human capital and competitive advantage.These results highlight the critical role of knowledge management in leveraging structural capital for competitive advantage in public sector organizations. Implications of Research: Theoretical Implications: The study contributes to the literature on intellectual capital and competitive advantage in public sector contexts, providing novel insights into the mediating role of knowledge management. Practical Implications: Policymakers should focus on enhancing human capital, improving structural capital, and fostering effective knowledge management processes to boost the competitive advantage of public sector organizations. Originality/Value: This research addresses a gap in understanding competitive advantage within Indonesian public institutions by examining intangible resources and knowledge management. It provides a unique perspective on public sector competitiveness, particularly in the context of regional government institutions in North Sulawesi.

The Catch-22 organization: Living with austerity, bureaucracy and absurdity in a public sector organization

Through an empirical study of austerity-driven transformation in a Local Government Authority, this article makes three contributions to the emerging critical literature on paradox. First, it draws on Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22 as an addition to the burgeoning scholarship that uses the fiction of Kafka to analyse bureaucratic organizations. Second, it focuses on the experience of paradoxes for those on the frontline, which has been neglected in the paradox literature. Third, it introduces the concept of absurdination, which refers to a subjectivity that reflects the tension between rationality and absurdity in the workplace, which can generate unease, anxiety, frustration and disillusionment. Absurdination indicates that management need to learn from the experiences of those on the frontline and yet, paradoxically, it also points to the obstacles to doing so. Rather than ameliorate paradoxes in ways that reproduce the status quo, it suggests that we must learn to question it.

Investigating the Impact of E-Learning on Employees' Performance and Work Commitment: A Case Study of Private Sector School and College Employees in SWAT

This study investigates the impact of e-learning on employees' performance and work commitment; private sector schools and colleges in SWAT. The research aim is to find and provide insights into the effectiveness of e-learning initiatives taken in improving educational institutions and employee performance. A qualitative case study approach; semi-structured interviews and formal document analysis to conduct the study. An online survey was conducted where 200 employees participated. This included both closed-ended and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics shows 45% of respondents were aged 25-34, with a gender distribution of 60% male and 40% female. Mostly participants (50%) had a Bachelor’s degree, and 30% had a Master’s degree. This method showed that E-learning practices adopted by employees at 30% participated daily, 40% weekly, and 20% monthly. The satisfaction with e-learning was found as 25% very satisfied and 40% satisfied in the educational setting. The study results finds that e-learning has significantly improved employee performance by enabling e-skill acquisition and knowledge transfer that leadins to improvements in teaching effectiveness and student outcomes. It also helps in improved employee work commitment by providing, continuous professional development opportunities. The finding reveals a positive correlations, found between e-learning participation and job performance (r = 0.65, p < 0.01) and, also between e-learning satisfaction and work commitment (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). This study is limited to private sector educational institutions in SWAT that may affect the generalizability of the findings towards public sector or other large organizations in educational sector. This research confirms the e-learning impact on employee performance and work commitment in private sector educational institutions. Therefore, future research could be expanded to the scope where other regions and sectors; public sector and non-profit institutions can be included, to provide a more valuable understanding of e-learning’s impact in such setting. The research findings and observations contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence-the impact of e-learning on employee performance and work commitment in SWAT’s private sector schools and colleges. It mainly highlights the importance of adopting and practicing effective e-learning strategies to improve educational outcomes and to support professional growth.

Predicting Counterproductive Work Behaviors: Examining the Role of Spiritual Intelligence and Personality Traits in Public and Private Sector Organizations

Counterproductive work behaviors are intentional and harmful behaviors directed either towards the organization or towards its people. This study attempts to examine the role of two antecedent variables, spiritual intelligence (SQ), and personality based on the Big Five Personality dimensions (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness) in predicting the occurrence of counterproductive work behaviors. Two dimensions of counterproductive work behaviors: rating and self-indulgence were used in this study based on the tool developed by Jain & Singh (2020). A sample of 351 employees working in both public (170) and private (181) sector organizations in India was taken for the purpose of the study. Mean, correlational analysis and multiple hierarchical regressions were carried out to test the hypotheses. Significant results were found for both personality and spiritual intelligence (SQ) in predicting counterproductive work behaviors across both public and private sector organizations. The two antecedent variables significantly improved the model's predictive power, for both public and private sector organizations, though to a lesser extent in the private sector. No difference was found based on gender.

Exploring promotion practices, impact on public servants’ commitment, efficiency, responsiveness, and goal attainment in Nigeria

This paper explored the influence of promotion practices on the commitment, efficiency, responsiveness, and goal attainment of public servants in Nigeria. Public sector organizations are vital for national governance and development, particularly in countries like Nigeria. The performance of public servants, who play a crucial role in policy implementation and service delivery, is significantly influenced by their perceptions of fairness and transparency in promotion practices. Despite the importance of these employees, they encounter challenges such as political interference, nepotism, and bureaucratic inefficiencies, which complicate promotion decisions. These issues can undermine employee motivation and overall organizational performance. This study draws on the Expectancy Theory of Motivation to investigate how various promotion practices, whether merit-based, seniority-based, or influenced by other factors, shape public servants' perceptions of reward expectancy and, subsequently, their work behaviors. The study is a cross-sectional survey. The research indicates that when promotions are viewed as merit-based, public servants exhibit higher levels of commitment, efficiency, responsiveness, and achievement of goals. In contrast, promotion systems perceived as politically biased or lacking transparency correlate with lower morale and diminished organizational outcomes. Using a survey of 1,216 Nigerian public servants, the study identifies significant demographic trends that influence employee perceptions and performance outcomes. The findings demonstrate strong correlations between transparent, meritocratic promotions and positive employee behaviors, including heightened job satisfaction, efficient task execution, and proactive goal pursuit. Conversely, opaque and politicized promotion practices result in disengagement, reduced efficiency, and poor alignment with organizational goals.Thus, it is imperative to strategically align professional development with promotion criteria. Policy reforms are essential to remove political influences from the promotion process. Advocating for changes that minimize bias and prioritize merit over political affiliation will foster a more equitable and objective system, ultimately benefiting both public servants and the communities they serve in Nigeria.

Continuing personhood and the increasing bureaucratisation of death: ‘My dad doesn’t need electricity in heaven’

Bureaucracy has been a core sociological concern since the discipline’s inception. While sociologists have explored the impact of bureaucracy on many areas of social life (from work to immigration policy), less is known about how bereaved individuals navigate the bureaucracy of death. After a loved one dies a range of time-consuming and time-sensitive hidden bureaucratic tasks must be completed – such as notifying officials and managing the estate – across public, private and third sector organisations. How do individuals experience and navigate such bureaucracy at a time of extreme sadness and vulnerability? Drawing on data from a qualitative study on death administration, this article explores people’s encounters with bureaucratic processes after bereavement. The article illuminates the challenging nature and ultimate failure of bureaucratic procedures in death administration. Such procedures create insensitivity around issues of personhood, often compounding emotional distress and vulnerability. Our analysis illuminates the ways in which this can lead to the operation of bureaucratic violence, a specific type of domination in which citizen subjectivities are affected by abstract rules and hostile organisational structures. By shedding light on death administration processes the article extends sociological understandings of bureaucracy and offers an innovative contribution to literature on grief.

Management Controls for Contributing to the Promotion of Sustainable Development in Public Sector Organizations—Status Quo and Further Research

Management Controls for Contributing to the Promotion of Sustainable Development in Public Sector Organizations—Status Quo and Further Research

SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS ON AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR

The public sector is transforming by adopting an agile approach to overcome bureaucratic rigidity and lagging the private sector. The aim is to overcome the limitations of traditional approaches by encouraging flexibility in planning, operations, and service delivery. In the face of diverse, agile characteristics, further research is required on the challenges and best practices other public sector organizations can adopt. This research identifies key challenges in agile implementation within the PMBOK 7th edition project performance domains with the most issues: Development Approach and Life Cycle and Project Work Domain. Using a systematic literature review (SLR), 35 of 680 reviewed papers were selected as references. The biggest challenges were in the Project Work Domain, dominated by the context of monitoring new work and changes, project processes, and procurement processes. Best practices were identified to address these challenges and guide other public sectors in supporting more flexible and responsive public service delivery.

Strategic Management Practices and Performance of Public Sector Organizations: A Case Study of Kenya Bureau of Standards Headquarters

To examine strategic management practices and performance of public sector organisations through KEBS and further look into the effects of strategy formulation, and strategy implementation on the performance of KEBS was the main study aim. The anchor theory of the research is strategic management theory, which is backed by institutional theory and a resource-based perspective. Sample of 98 individuals was picked 985 people using stratified random sampling and a descriptive research methodology. Questionnaires adopted and pilot initiative involved ten randomly chosen employees from the target population. SPSS were used to analyse data, and presentation put in tables. study establish that strategy formulation had significant impact, and as a result, it can be concluded that strategy formulation influences the performance of KEBS and that variations in strategy formulation can account for 63.7% of variance in KEBS performance. It can be stated that strategy implementation had a major impact and that strengthening them will lead to more performance of KEBS. It was also demonstrated that strategy implementation was positively and significantly connected with performance. It can be stated that strategy implementation had a major impact and that strengthening them will lead to more performance of KEBS. It was also demonstrated that strategy implementation was positively and significantly connected with performance. Following recommendations for improvement to KEBSs and other institutions. Management of KEBS must create and develop policies, procedures, guidelines, a governing structure, and strategic plans in order to carry out the organisation's goals and objectives. According to the study, management at any organisation, including KEBS, should understand that strategic management practices are a crucial part of organisational success and that, as a result, management at any organisation, including KEBS, should understand that the success of the institution is directly correlated with the skills and performance of the chief executive officer.

Exploring The Impact of Motivation on Job Performance: A Study of Government Personnel in Public Sector Organizations

The study aims to explore the relationship between motivation and job performance among government personnel in public sector organ-izations. Specifically, it seeks to understand how various motivational factors influence employee productivity and overall performance in the context of public sector work environments. Motivation theories like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1943) which are composed of five levels of human needs for survival, an individual’s lower-level needs must be satisfied before they can address their higher-level needs. In-trinsic motivation engages a person in an activity for self-satisfaction while extrinsic motivation drives a person to function due to rewards or punishment. This allows us to foresee the incoming demotivator for the personnel and how it affects the performance of the agency where they work. The study used a quantitative research design through a Likert scale questionnaire research instrument. Descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were applied to ana-lyze the data, acknowledging potential biases from personal beliefs, professional background, and participant interaction to enhance the study's reliability. The survey results indicated a balanced gender dis-tribution among respondents, falling in the 26 to 35 age group, and most were identified as permanent government personnel. The overall sentiment toward intrinsic motivation and recognition in the work-place was positive, suggesting a healthy organizational climate and a need for improved recognition practices. Additionally, significant dif-ferences in job motivation were noted based on age and length of ser-vice, particularly in the areas of career advancement opportunities and job security. Furthermore, the study reveals that career advancement opportunities are the main motivator for government personnel's job performance, with intrinsic motivation recognized as important, while training programs, performance-based bonuses, and team-building activities are effective strategies for enhancing motivation across diverse demographic profiles.

The role of leadership in promoting innovation within organizations in public sector

This study investigates the relationship between Knowledge Sharing, Person-Organization Fit (P-O Fit), and Innovative Work Behaviors (IWB) in public organizations in Iraq. It examines how the alignment between individual attributes and organizational culture affects employees' commitment to innovative work behaviors. Data were collected from 410 employees in public institutions, with surveys available in Kurdish and English. Findings indicate that information sharing enhances P-O Fit and promotes innovative work behaviors, both essential for organizational adaptability and growth. The study underscores the importance of fostering a collaborative environment to strengthen organizational cohesion. Organizations with strong P-O Fit are better positioned to retain talent and encourage creativity. Recommendations include refining recruitment and training processes to align with organizational culture, implementing programs to support development, and regularly evaluating knowledge-sharing practices. This analysis advances the theoretical understanding of how P-O Fit and knowledge exchange drive progress in the public sector and offers valuable insights for leaders.

Assessing The Impact of ISO 9001:2015 Implementation on the Service Delivery of The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Office VIII

This study assesses the impact of ISO 9001:2015 implementation on service delivery and operational efficiency at the National Irriga-tion Administration (NIA) Regional Office VIII. A descriptive research design was employed, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data were collected from 312 internal and external stakeholders through stratified sampling. Descriptive Statistics, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) evaluated operational efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction. Key findings show that 65% of respondents reported improvements in operational efficiency, particularly through standardized processes that streamlined workflows. However, 48% indicated that additional documentation requirements slowed down operations. In terms of service delivery, 35% of respondents observed greater consistency and reliability, while 31% experi-enced delays due to the time-consuming nature of compliance procedures. Despite these gains, challenges such as resource con-straints and resistance to change limited full adoption, particularly among senior management. The study highlights that while ISO 9001:2015 enhanced both op-erational efficiency and service delivery, the increased documentation burden and procedural complexity introduced operational slow-downs. These findings offer valuable insights into the dual impact of ISO 9001:2015 in public sector organizations, illustrating its potential for improving service delivery while underscoring the challenges of maintaining efficiency amid compliance demands.

The Impact of Adopting Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices on the Performance of Public Sector Organizations in Zambia: A Case Study of Zambia Air Force

The Impact of Adopting Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices on the Performance of Public Sector Organizations in Zambia: A Case Study of Zambia Air Force

The Effect of Overall Quality and Self-Efficacy on Learners' Flow and Satisfaction in Post-Pandemic Distance Learning

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of overall quality and self-efficacy on the flow and satisfaction of distance learning learners in the post-pandemic period in public sector organizations. Research data were collected through an online survey of distance learning participants in public sector organizations. A total of 701 data were analyzed. The data analysis method used was CB-SEM using Lisrel 8.80. This study found that system quality, information quality, and flow significantly and positively affected the satisfaction of distance learning participants. Self-efficacy, information quality, and service quality also have a positive and significant effect on the satisfaction of distance learning participants through the mediation of flow. Many previous studies have explored the effect of overall quality on online learning satisfaction in school or universities. However, this study is different in that it focuses on the context of public sector organizations by adding self-efficacy variables as internal factors of learners and including flow variables as mediators, considering that learners and instructors are not in the same location during distance learning. According to the findings from the conducted research, this study recommends that education and training organizers in the public sector can pay attention to factors that affect learner satisfaction in distance learning which include self-efficacy, overall learning quality, and flow in learning.

Orchestrating Sustainability: Government Platforms for Material Circulation

Public sector organizations increasingly use digital platforms to foster value co-creation among diverse stakeholders and to address complex societal challenges, such as those related to sustainable development. Different kinds of digital platforms have been recognized as potential drivers of the societal transition toward a circular economy. However, little is known about the organization, governance, and circular value outcomes of such platforms, especially those provided by public sector organizations. Following a case-study strategy, we explore how multisided digital government platforms can promote circular economy as marketplaces for residual resources. We outline the advantages and limitations inherent in public sector organizations as platform orchestrators within circular economy ecosystems. By uncovering essential factors that influence the success of government platforms in enhancing sustainability goals, this study provides both novel theoretical insights and practical guidance for the implementation of similar initiatives.

The Influence of Competence, Motivation, and Compensation on Civil Servants' Performance at the Mentawai Islands Port Office

This study examines the impact of competence, motivation, and compensation on the performance of civil servants at the Mentawai Islands Port Office. Aimed at contributing to the limited body of research on public sector performance in Indonesia’s remote regions, this research explores how these factors influence employee performance in a public service context. Data were collected from all 70 civil servants across three main port offices in the Mentawai Islands using structured questionnaires. The analysis, conducted using SPSS 26.0 and employing multiple regression techniques, reveals that motivation is the most significant predictor of performance, followed by compensation and competence, with coefficients of 0.659, 0.292, and 0.135, respectively. The regression equation highlights motivation as the primary driver of employee performance, suggesting that public sector organizations in remote areas must prioritize motivational strategies along with adequate compensation and skill development to enhance service delivery. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and public administration leaders aiming to boost civil servant performance through targeted human resource practices. By creating a motivating environment, ensuring fair compensation, and fostering necessary competencies, organizations can achieve higher employee performance and ultimately improve public service quality in outlying regions.