Semi-public Sectors Research Articles

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.

Assessment of the effects of knowledge management on the performance of the Moroccan public and semi-public sectors: An empirical analysis

In the context of the transformation of the Moroccan public sector, especially in terms of digitalization and human capital development, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of knowledge management on knowledge quality and organizational performance. To achieve this, a conceptual model has been adopted that establishes linear relationships between performance, knowledge quality, and knowledge management. The estimation and validation of the model were carried out by administering a questionnaire to a sample of 70 individuals and employing a structural equation model with the PLS approach to analysis the collected data. The study's findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between knowledge quality and performance, as well as a favourable association between knowledge management and knowledge quality. However, regarding the moderating and mediating effects, the study did not find evidence to support the notion that knowledge management plays a mediating or moderating role in the relationship between knowledge quality and performance. Performance is explained by 45.8% through knowledge management and knowledge quality, while knowledge quality is explained by 51% through knowledge management. These results emphasize the importance of public authorities intensifying their efforts to make knowledge management a value-generating factor.

Utilisation du système d’information des ressources humaines (SIRH) dans l’entreprise: Cas d’un échantillon d’entreprises de la Région Souss-Massa au Maroc

The use of innovative tools in HRM is becoming more and more necessary to increase the efficiency of the HR function but also that of the organization. This is why today's organizations are increasingly resorting to the acquisition of HR solutions such as the human resources information system (HRIS). This tool, which often takes the form of an ERP or separate HR modules, is structured around administrative processes dedicated to keeping employee files, managing time and activities, payroll and benefits, etc., in order to focus on other HR activities with a higher value-added decision-making aspect such as GPEC, etc. The reason behind this study is to know the state of play in the use of the HRIS at the level of the Souss-Massa Region in Morocco. To do this, we have chosen to study a sample of companies in the private and semi-public sectors through a quantitative study based on a questionnaire which was carried out after seeing important aspects of previous studies on this subject. The survey concerned HR actors in these organizations. The main results of this research, mainly based on the CPA revealed that the HRIS is mainly focused on the traditional components such as payroll and benefits management, employee record keeping, time and activity management, recruitment and selection and monitoring and analysis of turnover.

Exploring the Importance of Career Counseling at Grade-12 Level at a Public Sector School in Sindh, Pakistan

The focus of this study is to get an in-depth understanding of the importance and need for Career Counseling at the Grade 12 level because career counseling at this level helps students in selecting the appropriate study program in line with their future career choice. The study was guided by 5 research questions including; what are the perspectives of grade 12 students about career counseling? To what extent career counseling is provided to grade 12 students at school? What are the benefits of career counseling for grade 12 students? What are the issues related to career counseling for grade 12 students? And how do the issues related to career counseling for grade 12 students be resolved? Purposefully selected research participants of this study were 6 students who were studying at grade 12 level at a semi-public sector school of Sukkur city. A qualitative case study approach has been used, with a semi-structured interview guide for collecting data. Data were analyzed by an open coding strategy and is reported thematically. It is anticipated that this study will help students, teachers, parents, educational institutes, and policymakers to a greater extent. Career counseling is becoming people-oriented and so with the findings of this study, policymakers can make new policies and implement them in the system. Future research can be conducted in different public and private sector schools of Sindh. Research participants from different education systems will provide a deeper analysis of different views and perspectives of students in different settings.

Editorial note 2020

Introduction
 I believe that all of us have experienced most probably one of the most dramatic situations in modern day work life, namely Covid-19. It has impacted on all spheres of society, from Global, National, organisational and personal levels. This was evident in the recent articles received by AJER, many of them has a broad, or even a direct Covid-19 theme, specifically from an employee relations, leadership and human resource perspective. The AJER wants to provide a forum of learning opportunities, also during these challenging times for all those interested and involved in the management of human resources including practitioners, researchers, academics, trainers and educators as well as to policy makers in the private, public and semi-public sectors of South Africa (SA), Southern Africa, Africa and other countries.
 The direct impact on the journal was also felt, specifically with the availability of reviewers, as well as the slower than usual turnaround time of reviews. It is with this in mind that I want to invite all our readers who are interested and qualified to become part of the pool of reviewers of AJER. You can send an e-mail indicating your interest to me as Chief Editor (grobla@unisa.ac.za).
 
 2020 content
 As mentioned in the introduction, AJER has adopted a more continental approach, and it is evident that there is a growing African interest, especially if one looks at the articles published in 2020. Although the papers from SA are still the majority, there were also articles from Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.
 Four articles typically falls within the Industrial Psychology domain, with the first one determining the relationship exists between the state of the psychological contract and emotional intelligence, and whether emotional intelligence is a predicting variance of the state of the psychological contract. The second article from this category studied whether the socio-demographic variables of age, race, gender, marital status, educational level, years employed, employment status, and home language predict work engagement, psychological capital and turnover intention of teachers. Both these studies were conducted with a SA. In the third article, a measure of the maturity of the organisational leadership development process that is fit for use in southern Africa across the different levels of leadership, was developed and validated. The fourth study was conducted in Ghana, looking to determine the relationship between mental health and innovative behaviour among bank employees, as well as the effect of age on the mental health of the respondents.
 Two articles broadly focused on labour issues, with one investigating the impact of setting minimum wages in the environment and culture sector as an appropriate wage strategy intervention policy under the South Africa’s Expanded Public Works Programme. The other article sought to unveil the factors behind the precariat who soldier on despite challenges faced at the workplace with specific reference to the agricultural and hospitality industries in Zimbabwe.
 One article focused on union matters and typical human resource management respectively. The union related article investigated the challenges female union members encounter while seeking or assuming labour union leadership positions in Kenya.
 In the forum section, an article was placed that examined the linkage between the Nigerian Declaration Project and the levels of commitment to industrial peace among the employers’ associations, labour unions and government agencies in Nigeria.
 
 Closing remarks
 I believe we are now nearing a point where we are becoming a true Continental publication, and we are therefore inviting submissions from all over Africa. Africa-related themes are especially encouraged in the context of the dire need to develop indigenous theory and understanding of people management in the African context.
 Authors are further invited to contribute to the academic as well as industry discourse related to the impact of Covid-19 on the work force and work force practises. You are urged to look long term, by investigating and recommending possible actions to mitigate the impact, not only of the current pandemic, but any major crisis and disruption that might impact the work environment in future.

Does Public Service Motivation Matter? A Study of Participation in Various Volunteering Domains

ABSTRACT: This article examines the extent to which public service motivation (PSM), more specifically the PSM dimension commitment to the public interest (CPI), is related to volunteering. The claims for the relationship between PSM and volunteering have rarely been supported by evidence based on direct measurements of PSM. Using data from a large representative sample of public and semi-public sector employees in the Netherlands, we show that CPI is positively related to volunteering. This relationship is stronger for participation in some volunteering domains than in others. We suggest that public-interest-committed employees seek out volunteering opportunities that match their motivation and that the extent to which voluntary organizations espouse public service ideals may explain the differential strength of the relationship between employees’ CPI and their participation in different volunteering domains. This finding is relevant for voluntary and nonprofit organizations which need to attract volunteers to keep up welfare services.

Perangkap Industri Budaya dalam Desain Lanskap di Pulau Bali

ABSTRACTA Cultural Industry Trap on Landscape Design in Bali IslandLandscape architecture is a field in applied science that characterized by its multi-discipline approaches. However, people mostly correlate landscape architecture as a field of science and profession to deal with design dan art, especially with gardens. This paper, will discusse the issue of landscape design in Bali from the perspective of cultural studies. Landscape design activities are include but not limited to material objects, such as parks, streetscapes, cityscapes, and other landscape design products. It seems that present landscape design tastes have started from the western world. One of the landscape architects who criticize landscape design is Marc Treib. He primarily criticized the landscape design discourse occurring in the United States. Treib three canons about landscape tastes have shown applicable to recent landscape design conditions in Bali Island. Especially because there are still many landscape architects from abroad have been working in Indonesia projects, as well as landscape architects graduates of America and other western countries. Bali is a heaven for those landscape architects to set their status of fame for it provides amount of opportunities in hotel and resort landscape design and private villas gardens as well. The influence of scholars and design values emerge in Bali, especially in the public and semi-public sectors is colored by Western design "ideologies".Keywords: landscape design, design taste, design discourse,western design ideology.

Diverse approaches to negative treatment in the workplace: sector differences and their effects

PurposeThis purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how different diversity approaches of public, semi-public and private sector organizations affect negative treatment experienced in the workplace. Broadly speaking, organizations might either approach diversity as a problem of inequality or as a resource and an added value for the organization. As such, a pro-equality and a pro-diversity approach can be distinguished which are both examined in this paper.Design/methodology/approachIn a quantitative study, structural equation modeling was used on survey data of a representative sample of Dutch employees.FindingsResults show that while both approaches are negatively associated with negative treatment, the pro-diversity is most strongly so. Sector differences were less pronounced than expected, although employees across different sectors of employment benefit from both the approaches to a different extent.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research examining the effect of diversity approaches to negative treatment across sectors is required. Suggestions for further research are discussed.Practical implicationsLooking at sector differences, the findings showed that employees across public, semi-public and private sector organizations benefitted from the diversity approaches to a different extent. Organizations across different sectors are therefore suggested to adopt different diversity approaches to combat negative treatment in the workplace.Originality/valueMost studies either focus on a pro-equality or pro-diversity approach. The present study combines both and, moreover, pays attention to the way both approaches affect negative treatment experienced in the semi-public sector. Examining variation within the public sector is unique in the context of diversity research.

Transforming the Role of Public Policies for Innovation: Governing the Evolutionary Process

While the role of public sector for innovation has been downplayed in the dominant, market-centered view, advanced economies are facing challenges to develop novel approaches to innovation policies. Reasons behind this include the changing focus of innovation and the catch-up by the latecomer countries. Based on a detailed case study of the implementation of a novel approach to innovation policy, demand- and user-driven innovation (DUI) policy, in EU and Finland, this paper examines how the role of the public sector has been transformed in implementing innovation policies and argues that the novel role of the public and semi-public sectors in a DUI policy can be understood as the governance of the evolutionary process of innovation, where the public and semi-public sectors should be deeply involved in the innovation process. This is contrary to the conventional role of the public sector to provide useful complementary resources such as institutional frameworks, funding, and education, while standing outside the innovation process. From institutionalist perspectives, the Nordic welfare and corporatist institutions, including the active third-sector organizations, might play a key role in implementing DUI policies.

An assessment of employee commitment to work among UAE nationals

This research paper investigates the employee commitment to work as demonstrated by UAE national men and women across three sectors: the public, semi-public and private, specifically in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The research demonstrated that the private sector has a high level of work satisfaction. In contrast, the greatest dissatisfaction was in the public and semi-public sectors which respondents opined that there was generally a lack of recognition for good work and that they did not have opportunities to engage in discussion about progress of the organisation they worked for, and weak support for the performance evaluation process, citing reservations about its fairness. Emiratis looking for career advancement should consider the private sector with a greater degree of confidence than they have thus far – a view endorsed by their own compatriots according to the outcomes of this research.

Public Health Workforce in Switzerland: are public health workers lacking?

As public health workers, our core mission is to develop appropriate responses to the health needs of the population. This includes not only the prevention of diseases and the promotion and protection of health, but also the organization of health services and their evaluation. We want to ensure a fair distribution of public health benefits across the population (WHO 2006). These are ambitious, but achievable aims. A first step in this direction and a condition for success is to organize the transfer of knowledge from the scientific research realm to best practice interventions in the workplace. Therefore, we believe that the health of a population can be greatly increased by a qualified workforce specifically trained in public health sciences (Beaglehole 2003). A public health education can provide knowledgeable, prepared practitioners at all levels, who can achieve improved health outcomes and contribute to large-scale changes in the overall health of our societies. Currently, there is no shortage of discussion on the public health workforce and its training needs, especially among public health practitioners working in the public or semi-public sectors, as well as in private companies. A report by the WHO (2006) states that our global workforce capacity (size, training, and competencies) is currently misaligned with the health needs of the population. Bjegovic-Mikanovic et al. assert in their article ‘‘Education and training of public health professionals in the European Region: variation and convergence’’ (2013, this issue) that public health education in Europe is vastly insufficient to prepare workers for the ‘‘real world’’ of changing health risks, increasing health disparities and newly developing health technologies, among other pressing challenges. This body of research suggests a critical gap exists between actual public health needs and the extent to which public health workers are trained in basic and continuing public health education. Yet, if we are to better understand the needs of the workers, and better prepare our educational institutions to meet these needs, we need a more cohesive understanding of where public health graduates are going when they enter the workforce, and what they are doing. There have been several attempts to map professional engagements and educational backgrounds of the public health workforce (Frank et al. 2013, http://www.ssphplus. ch/downloads). In order to better assess our domestic workforce, the Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH?) recently conducted a census and created a profile of those currently employed in public health positions (Frank et al. 2013). We found that overall, respondents were well-educated (2/3 had at least a Bologna masters degree). However, 69 % of respondents in the workforce had no specific public health degree, suggesting that current workers, at all levels, could benefit from further training in specific public health skills. This finding is supported by our data showing ‘‘public health sciences’’ as one of the top-reported competency needs by workers. F. Paccaud A. Weihofen (&) Swiss School of Public Health, Seilergraben 49, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland e-mail: aweihofen@ssphplus.ch URL: http://www.ssphplus.ch

Earnings differentials between the public and private sectors in China: Exploring changes for urban local residents in the 2000s

Abstract This paper analyzes the changes in public–private sector earnings differentials for local residents in urban China between 2002 and 2007. We find that earnings gaps across ownership sectors decreased during this period and that the convergence trend has been in favor of the private and semi-public sectors as opposed to the public sector. This trend is in sharp contrast to what occurred at the turn of the 21st century when employees in the government and state-owned enterprises were found to enjoy a privileged situation. Differences in endowments are found to play a growing role in explaining earnings differentials. However, although it is becoming less of an issue, segmentation across ownership remains important, especially for high-wage earners.

Earnings Differentials between the Public and the Private Sectors in China: Explaining Changing Trends for Urban Locals in the 2000s

This paper analyzes the changes in public-private sector earnings differentials for local residents in urban China between 2002 and 2007. We find that earnings gaps across ownership have been reducing during this period and that the convergence trend has been in favor of the private and semi-public sectors as opposed to the public sector. This is in sharp contrast to what occurred at the turn of the century, when employees of public administration and enterprises were found to enjoy a very much privileged situation. On the one hand, differences in endowments are found to play a growing role in explaining earnings differentials. On the other hand, although starting to become less an issue, segmentation across ownership remains important, especially for high-wage earners.

Perceptions du bilinguisme officiel et interactions bilingues à Biel/Bienne et Fribourg/Freiburg

In officially quadrilingual Switzerland, due to the controversially discussed so-called principle of territoriality, not many of the approximately 2800 municipalities have an official bilingual status. The most often cited and described bilingual examples are Biel/Bienne and Fribourg/Freiburg. These municipalities manage their linguistic and cultural heterogeneity quite differently; this fact greatly influences the definition of official languages and the public discourse on the interpretation and the semantic range of the concept. In officially bilingual Biel/Bienne, service encounters in the public and semipublic sector (administration, public services, shops, restaurants etc.) is client-oriented, the customer with his/her opening turn chooses the language of interaction. However, in officiously bilingual Fribourg/Freiburg, French is – more often than not – the default language. The same pattern applies for information seeking in the streets, the person giving the information adapting to the same pattern of interaction, linguistic adaptation in Biel/Bienne, and maintaining of French in Fribourg/Freiburg. This article discusses oral and written, private and public discourse on the degree of officiality of the two languages and the impact of language choice in the two cities. It is assumed that the latter in fact mirrors public language discourse and that opinion leaders coin the prevailing situation.

The impact of industrial structure on changes in unemployment in GB travel to work areas 1989-92

The impact of industrial structure on changes in unemployment has been hard to establish conclusively. This article examines this issue, for GB travel to work areas, for the period from December 1989 to December 1992 and concentrates in particular on the potential role of public and semi public sector employment in dampening the impact of recession in areas where such employment is relatively important. It is concluded that industrial structure was of some importance in the changes in unemployment over this time. A high percentage of employment in public and semi-public agencies did mitigate the impact of recession; other important explanatory variables included dummies to discriminate between north, central and southern regions, and changes in house prices.

L'hétérogénéité des carrières individuelles mesurée sur données de panel

Heterogeneity of wage profiles evaluated on the basis of panel data, by Stefan Lolliver, Jean-François Payen. This paper is an attempt at evaluating individual earnings profiles on the basis of a panel of wage earners from the private and semi-public sectors over the 1967 to 1982 period. One of its objectives is to quantify earnings functions on the basis of the human capital theory. To study individual earnings profiles, it is necessary to set up an econometric model which makes a distinction between macroeconom evolution and factors purely individual. The former depends on variables such as the current year of payment, the worker's age and his date of birth. Individual characteristics are modeled on the basis of a quadratic time function showing how the wage profile of a specific individual differs from that of other workers in his generation.

Planning in an open economy

SUMMARY This paper deals with some problems of long-term planning in developed countries. It is suggested that planning on the industry level can best be applied in national economies that are more or less closed to foreign influences. While information on interindustry relationships can be utilized to derive a feasible pattern of production associated with a growth target in a closed economy, disappointed expectations in regard to exports and unforeseen changes in imports will give rise to discrepancies between plans and realization if the foreign sector is of importance. Moreover, in participating in the international trade network, governments forego the use of a number of policy instruments that could be employed in a closed economy to ensure the fulfilment of plans on the national economy, industry, and firm level. Accordingly, since governments can hardly guarantee the correctness of the forecasts, and entrepreneurs look beyond national frontiers for markets, doubts arise about the desirability of government intervention since ultimately the enterprises’ profits will be affected. On the other hand, long-term planning has a useful function in the public and the semi-public sectors. It would ensure rationality and consistency in decisions on the public sector where prices do not provide a yardstick for choosing among alternative uses of resources. Further, a consicious long-term policy would be desirable in the semi-public sectors - agriculture, transport and energy — where ad hoc interventions, taken often in response to special interests, give rise to inefficiencies.

PLANNING IN AN OPEN ECONOMY

SUMMARY This paper deals with some problems of long-term planning in developed countries. It is suggested that planning on the industry level can best be applied in national economies that are more or less closed to foreign influences. While information on interindustry relationships can be utilized to derive a feasible pattern of production associated with a growth target in a closed economy, disappointed expectations in regard to exports and unforeseen changes in imports will give rise to discrepancies between plans and realization if the foreign sector is of importance. Moreover, in participating in the international trade network, governments forego the use of a number of policy instruments that could be employed in a closed economy to ensure the fulfilment of plans on the national economy, industry, and firm level. Accordingly, since governments can hardly guarantee the correctness of the forecasts, and entrepreneurs look beyond national frontiers for markets, doubts arise about the desirability of government intervention since ultimately the enterprises’ profits will be affected. On the other hand, long-term planning has a useful function in the public and the semi-public sectors. It would ensure rationality and consistency in decisions on the public sector where prices do not provide a yardstick for choosing among alternative uses of resources. Further, a consicious long-term policy would be desirable in the semi-public sectors - agriculture, transport and energy — where ad hoc interventions, taken often in response to special interests, give rise to inefficiencies.