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Do Employees Behave Differently In Public- Vs Private-Sector Organizations?

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  • Hayo C. Baarspul
  • Celeste P.M. Wilderom

Abstract

Governmental, public-sector organizations are known to operate differently than private, for-profit organizations. But do sector differences exist at the individual level as well? In this article we review twenty-eight hypothesis-driven empirical studies on this question. Most of the single studies found significant individual-level differences between the two sectors, although not always in the expected direction. After showing the limited available evidence, we criticize this line of inquiry and recommend to: (1) test broader models in which sector is only one of a range of variables; (2) enhance refinement in the use of research methods; and (3) improve the theoretical underpinning.

Suggested Citation

  • Hayo C. Baarspul & Celeste P.M. Wilderom, 2011. "Do Employees Behave Differently In Public- Vs Private-Sector Organizations?," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(7), pages 967-1002, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:pubmgr:v:13:y:2011:i:7:p:967-1002
    DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2011.589614
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mengli Zhao & Shibin Sheng & Xiangyu Yang, 2024. "Does public employment foster or inhibit entrepreneurial intentions?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 317-349, March.
    2. Danilo M. Marchiori & Emerson W. Mainardes & Ricardo G. Rodrigues, 2018. "Validation of the ISS-QUAL and the role of gender, age and education on it service quality in the public sector," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 217-230, December.
    3. Weißmüller, Kristina Sabrina, 2022. "Implicit Dimensions of Moral Licensing in Citizen-State Interactions," OSF Preprints a8uwd, Center for Open Science.
    4. Dag Ingvar Jacobsen, 2021. "Motivational Differences? Comparing Private, Public and Hybrid Organizations," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 561-575, September.
    5. Adolfo C. Fernández Puente & Nuria Sánchez-Sánchez, 2021. "Labor Market Precarity Shapes Perception of the Public Sector in the Eurozone," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, August.
    6. Adolfo C. Fernández Puente & Nuria Sánchez-Sánchez, 2023. "The Impact of the Different Dimensions of Job Quality on Job Satisfaction in the Public and Private sector. What is Wrong with the Social Environment?," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    7. Renata Borges & Jonathon Mote, 2016. "Is it the Brazilian Way? Extending the Comparison of Public and Private Organizations," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 509-528, December.
    8. Dimple Sunayna Johnson, 2020. "Public Versus Private Employees: A Perspective on the Characteristics and Implications," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 9(1), pages 9-14, March.
    9. Zinn, Andrew, 2015. "A typology of supervision in child welfare: Multilevel latent class and confirmatory analyses of caseworker–supervisor relationship type," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 98-110.
    10. Simović Dragana, 2015. "Project Management in Development Aid Industry – Public vs. Private," Croatian International Relations Review, Sciendo, vol. 21(72), pages 167-197, February.
    11. Jabłoński Marek, 2019. "Interdependence Among Creativity, Education, and Job Experience: A Municipal Company in Poland," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 27(4), pages 48-70, December.
    12. Anders Frederiksen & Jesper Rosenberg Hansen, 2013. "Trends in Sector Switching: Evidence from Employer-Employee Data," Economics Working Papers 2013-11, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.

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