Testing an International Measure of Public Service Motivation: Is There Really a Bright or Dark Side?

‘Public service motivation’ (PSM) is usually reported as a bright force although recent debate alludes to a dark side. Variables representing each side are, respectively, job satisfaction and burnout. This study tests for both the bright and potential dark direct effects of PSM and responds to calls to further validate the international PSM instrument developed by Kim et al. ( 2013 ). Using a sample of 455 local council workers in Australia, analysis confirmed that while the measure was robust and generalizable in its structure, none of the dimensions of PSM were found to influence either job satisfaction or burnout. Plausible explanations include contextual factors, nomological concerns with the measurement instrument, and the notion that PSM has a non‐significant influence on either. The implications of these findings are discussed and future research proposed.     

Evaluation in Nonprofit Organizations: An Empirical Analysis

Many factors influence the extent to which nonprofit organizations engage in evaluation. Drawing on organization theory, nonprofit scholarship, and public administration research, we propose a set of hypotheses concerning the interrelationships between organizational characteristics and various aspects of nonprofit evaluation. We test these hypotheses using combined data from an original national survey and IRS Forms 990. Analysis reveals that although higher levels of staff compensation support many aspects of evaluation, higher levels of executive compensation exert negative effects. Additionally, evaluation culture mediates the effects of several variables on evaluation rigor and frequency. Practical implications are discussed for scholars and practitioners.     

Reexamining the Relationship Between Fiscal Stress and Outsourcing

The determinants of outsourcing in local government are widely studied from a variety of frameworks. One concept consistently used to explain local government outsourcing is fiscal condition, with many noting that outsourcing is more likely when a local government’s fiscal condition declines into fiscal stress. Despite the ubiquity of this expectation in the outsourcing literature, several articles reviewed suggest that the findings for this relationship remain uncertain. As a result, the research presented in this article sought to examine and extend what is known about the relationship between fiscal stress and outsourcing in U.S. municipalities. The research includes previous measures of fiscal stress and adds new measures. In addition, it tries to overcome the limited theoretical testing of the relationship between fiscal stress and outsourcing by examining both direct and indirect effects of fiscal stress on outsourcing. It finds that municipalities in the United States that are experiencing fiscal stress are more likely to engage in outsourcing, particularly municipalities that are experiencing fiscal stress and have a positive evaluation of the external market to provide services.     

New localism or fuzzy centralism: policymakers’ perceptions of public education and involvement in education

This research examines local authority involvement in education as a function of local policymakers’ perceptions of education as a public service – namely, whether public education is for the benefit of society as a whole, or for individual students and parents. Perceptions of education and involvement in education were assessed through 107 questionnaires returned by mayors and heads of local education departments in Israel. The results show that (1) local policymakers tend to perceive public education as a general public service, and (2) the relationship between this perception and involvement in education varies with the locality’s centre-periphery status. In peripheral localities, perceiving education as a general public service and an understanding of ‘society’ as the local community leads to greater involvement in education. In central localities, involvement rose with a more individualised perception. Implications of the findings are discussed in line with viewing education in the spirit of new localism.     

Can the best interests of young people be met in residential care? An Ireland case study

The search for factors essential to the achievement of congruence in residential youth care services in Ireland led to the discovery of five critical success factors, each of which affects all three organizational levels of such services. These critical factors included: needs-led, not regulation-driven, care; senior managers with workforce responsibility require domain expertise; shared vision and purpose across three organizational levels; practice-led planning and service development; and bureaucratic policies and practices that are congruent with corporate parenting obligations to provide developmental care that serves each child's best interests.     

Competition between unions as a stimulus for initiating reform: the Israeli case, 1958–2015

The article identifies characteristics and consequences of competition between two teachers’ unions as a component of multi-unionism. The study aimed to clarify the consequences of this competition for the education system following the splitting of one teachers’ union and formation of a new union, which challenged both its rival and the policy-makers. The study focuses particularly on the development of the newer union. Data was gathered from documents written between 1958 and 2013, and supplementary interviews were conducted with 15 key figures in the unions, the Ministry of Education, and the Treasury. While research literature usually describes the conduct of teachers’ unions on a continuum between hindrance and facilitation of educational reforms, the study’s findings add an additional dimension relating to the possibility that competition between two teachers’ unions can engender competitive proposals for educational reform and act as a catalyst for change in educational policy. The rivalry led to the emergence of two similar, but competing, educational reforms, accepted by government and in effect today in all the schools. The study provides information on different levels of competition between the teachers’ unions, and the leeway for action that a union has as an interest group.     

社会中介组织角色定位的理论探讨

社会中介组织的角色定位是一个确定自身功能、理顺与其他社会行为主体的关系的过程。本文对体制转变过程中社会中介组织对政府或单位角色替换的内涵、社会中介组织角色定位的基本特点以及社会中介组织角色定位的理论依据作了较为明晰的分析     

中国服务贸易的对外开放:现状与问题·原则与对策

《服务贸易总协定》的通过 ,为全球服务贸易的规范化奠定了法律框架 ,同时也为中国参加世界贸易组织带来了新问题。其中最关键的便是中国服务贸易的对外开放问题。中国服务贸易自 80年代以来虽有长足发展 ,但仍存在不少问题。主要表现为 :总体水平不高 ,在世界服务贸易中的地位相对落后 ;服务贸易各部门各地区发展严重失衡 ,总体竞争力不强 ;相关法律体系和管理体系尚不健全。在进一步开放承诺的过程中 ,应坚持以下原则和采取相关的策略 :国家安全原则 ;逐步扩大和放宽对外开放原则。     

以保安为"桥梁"提升社会治安群防群控水平探讨

受专门警务工作的局限、民众的畏警、远警心理及低下的安防意识、护法意识等因素的影响,直接以警力去整合、调动民力资源,提升社会治安群防群控水平,将是一个艰难、漫长的过程。大力发展保安服务业,积极构建有关机制,挖掘保安的治安作用,利用保安这个“桥梁”,可能会使问题别有一番景象。     

论结社权的保护与我国社团立法的建构

我国的社团立法体系理论研究起步晚,深度不够,我国社会团体立法体系存在着很多不足.其中"双层管理体制"严重的限制了公民的结社权.自由结社权是社会团体合法性最直接的理论来源,各国宪法大都将结社权写入宪法,我国也在《宪法》第36条明确规定,结社自由是公民的基本权利.但是,我们也应该看到,虽然结社权已经事业向宪法权利,但是,无论是立法机关、行政部门,还是我国的社会群众,依然对结社权没有重视.文章对结社权作较深层次探讨,期望在"保护人权"写入宪法后,引起大家对结社权的重视.